BAGHDAD, Dec. 21 (Xinhua) -- Four policemen and a militant of Islamic State (IS) group were killed on Saturday in an attack by the extremist IS militants in Iraq's central province of Salahudin, a security source said.
The attack took place in the evening when IS militants attacked a police outpost guarding oil pipelines in north of the oil-refinery town of Baiji, some 200 km north of Baghdad, Mohammed al-Bazi from the provincial police told Xinhua.
IS attack sparked a fierce clash with the police force continued until a reinforcement police force arrived to the scene, forcing IS attackers to withdrew to the nearby desert, al-Bazi said.
The clash resulted in the killing of four policemen and one of the attackers, al-Bazi said, adding that a police officer was also wounded during the clash.
The security situation in Iraq has been improved since Iraqi security forces fully defeated the extremist IS militants across the country late in 2017.
However, IS remnants have since melted in urban areas or resorted to deserts and rugged areas, carrying out frequent guerilla attacks against security forces and civilians.
