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BAGHDAD, Oct. 15 (Xinhua) -- Iraqi security forces on Thursday continued major offensive to drive out the Islamic State (IS) militants from the town of Baiji in the northern central province of Salahudin, security sources said.
The troops and allied Shiite and Sunni paramilitary units, known as Hashd Shaabi, fought fierce clashes with IS militants in Baiji, but made slow progress in the town's districts because of dozens of roadside bombs, booby-trapped buildings and snipers, a provincial security source told Xinhua on condition of anonymity.
The troops also recaptured a village in north of Baiji after heavy clashes with IS militants, the source said.
Meanwhile, the troops which took control of Baiji's vast oil refinery continued their fighting during the day against IS militants at the edges of refinery, which has been the scene of heavy clashes with IS militants since last year.
During the day, the troops found 14 bodies of IS militants who were left by the extremist militants in the refinery and captured six other militants who failed to withdrew after Wednesday battles, the source said, adding that seven soldiers and allied militiamen were killed and 43 others wounded by the battles in the refinery.
Fierce battles also continued around the town of Seiniyah in west of Baiji, as the army artillery and air strikes pounded IS positions inside the IS-held town, the source added.
Separately, the security forces repelled an attack by IS militants in Auja area, just south of the provincial capital city of Tikrit, leaving at least three IS militants killed, the source said.
The battles in Salahudin province, part of the second phase of major offensive announced late on Monday by Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi, who is also Commander-in-chief of Iraqi armed forces, aimed at freeing towns seized by the IS group since June 2014 in the northern part of Salahudin province.
In Iraq's western province of Anbar, several roadside bombs went off near an army patrol in west of the IS-held provincial capital city of Ramadi, leaving 12 soldiers killed, a provincial security source told Xinhua.
Also in the province, the army artillery and Iraqi aircraft pounded IS positions in Jazira area near the town of Khaldiyah, killing at least six IS militants and wounding 13 others.
The attacks came as Iraqi security forces and allied militias have been fighting for months to retake control of key cities and towns in Iraq's largest province from extremist IS militants, who seized most of Anbar and tried to advance towards Baghdad.
