More than 20 killed in Islamic State attack west of Baghdad

Seventeen soldiers and six Sunni fighters allied to them have been killed in an attack by Islamic State (IS) militants in the turbulent Anbar province west of Baghdad, in Iraq.

Iraqi military and police officials say the attack took place in the rural district of Jaramshah, north of Anbar’s provincial capital, Ramadi.

They said the IS fighters used suicide bombings and mortar shells in the attack.

The chief of army operations in Anbar, Maj-Gen Qassim al-Dulaimi, was lightly wounded in the attack, the officials said.

News of the attack came two days after up to 50 soldiers were killed by the IS in two ambushes elsewhere in Anbar province, much of which is under IS control.

Press Association