BAGHDAD
Twenty Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant militants were killed Friday in the U.S.-led international coalition’s airstrikes on al-Qa’im town, located near the Syrian border in the western province of Anbar, an Iraqi army source said.
“The air forces of the international coalition in coordination with the Iraqi security forces targeted al-Qa’im town which was used by ISIL as a main base in the area,” Major Diyaa Kazem Dabbous told The Anadolu Agency.
The base, which was one of ISIL's most prominent in the area near the Iraqi-Syrian border, was completely destroyed.
Twenty ISIL militants were killed and tens wounded in the attack, according to Dabbous. The death toll could not be independently verified.
Iraqi security forces also managed to repel an ISIL attack on Friday in Saladin province in northern Iraq, an Iraqi army captain said.
“Iraqi forces repelled ISIL’s attack on al-Hajjaj village near Baiji city while attempting to seize control of the village,” Iraqi army captain Seif al-Khaledi told The Anadolu Agency.
“The village is located on a road which connects military supplies between Baghdad and Baiji,” al-Khaledi added.
ISIL militants were forced to retreat after a few hours of clashes. The source did not report any casualties.
Baiji city, which is located about 250 km (156 miles) north of Baghdad, is significant due to its large oil refinery.
Last summer, ISIL captured large swathes of land in Iraq and Syria, killing thousands in the process. It later declared the captured territories to be part of a self-styled caliphate.
Since the group captured the northern Iraqi city of Mosul in June 2014, a U.S.-led coalition has carried out numerous airstrikes against ISIL targets in both Iraq and Syria.
