Baghdad, Nov 19 (IANS): At least 40 militants from the Islamic State (IS) terror group and three policemen were killed on Saturday in several attacks against army barracks in northern Iraq.
The attacks targeted Iraqi security forces in the town of al-Qayyarah, located 55 km south of the IS stronghold of Mosul.
The head of the Security Committee of the Nineveh Provincial Parliament, Mohamed Ibrahim al-Bayati, told Efe news that the offensive was launched by a group of over 200 militants who crossed the Tigris river in small boats and then headed for al-Qayyarah.
According to al-Bayati, the clashes were very intense and lasted for more than four hours.
During the battle, several suicide bombers were able to cross Iraqi security lines and break into the barracks, where they detonated their explosive vests.
Three policemen were killed in the blasts and three other officers were seriously wounded.