Tribal fighters take part in a military training to prepare for fighting against Islamic State militants at the Ain al-Assad military base in Anbar province on Nov. 15, 2014.Reuters
Iraqi officials say a suicide blast targeting security forces and subsequent clashes with Islamic State militants have killed at least 23 troops and allied Sunni fighters in the embattled western province of Anbar.
- Who are Islamic State? Get caught up with The Globe’s primer
- Untangling the Middle East: A visual guide to the region's shifting relationships
The officials say a suicide bomber first struck a gathering of pro-government Sunni fighters near the town of al-Baghdadi on Tuesday morning. The town is about 180 kilometres northwest of Baghdad. Soon after, Islamic State extremists attacked nearby army and police positions, setting off clashes.
Police and hospital officials say 23 were killed and 28 were wounded on the government side. They did not say give casualties on the militants' side.
All officials spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to speak to the media.