13th Apr 2015 15:57
Baghdad (Alliance News) - The Islamic State extremist group launched a fierce assault on Iraq's biggest oil refinery at Baiji on Monday, officials said, less than two weeks after government forces recaptured the nearby city of Tikrit.
Police officials said the jihadists attacked the refinery from the north and east, breaking through its defences and capturing its watchtowers.
Government forces were fighting to keep Islamic State fighters from the facilities' inner walls and the Iraqi air force was bombing the attackers, the officials, speaking on condition of anonymity, said.
Baiji, about 200 kilometres north of Baghdad, accounts for almost a third of Iraq's refinery capacity. It has been out of action since last year, when it was the scene of intense fighting.
The refinery is 40 kilometres north of the city of Tikrit, which was recaptured by government forces and allied Shiite militias on April 1 after a month-long campaign.
The partial success of Monday's attack indicates that Islamic State retains an offensive capacity in the area despite the government advances.
Heavy fighting was meanwhile reported near the city of Ramadi, capital of western al-Anbar province, much of which is held by Islamic State.
Officials said warplanes from the US-led coalition against Islamic State were shelling militant positions while Iraqi armoured forces sought to advance in the villages of al-Bu Faraj and al-Bu Eita.
Iraqi authorities have predicted the launch of a major campaign to recapture the mainly Sunni province, which stretches from Baghdad to the Syrian and Jordanian borders.
Local leaders have called for Shiite militias, which provided the main force in the Tikrit offensive and have been accused of abuses against Sunni civilians, to be excluded from any offensive in the province.
Tribal leaders in al-Anbar have accused the government of failing to arm local tribes who are willing to fight the extremists.
Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi meanwhile left Baghdad for Washington, where he is due to discuss the campaign against Islamic State with President Barack Obama.
The US has repeatedly expressed concern over the key role played by the Iranian-backed Shiite militias in government offensives.
Copyright dpa