Iraqi army forces have repelled a large-scale "Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant" (ISIL) attack in western Anbar, inflicting heavy losses on the group, the Iraqi Ministry of Defence said Monday (September 12th).
"The Iraqi army on Monday morning repelled a large-scale attack by ISIL gunmen riding 20 vehicles in al-Rutba," ministry spokesman Brig. Gen. Yahya Rasul told Diyaruna.
The gunmen were aiming to attack army barracks in al-Hussainiyat area, "but the attack failed and 17 gunmen were killed, while the others fled and nine of their vehicles were destroyed", he said.
"A senior ISIL element and non-Iraqi fighters are among those killed," he said.
