Iraq reinforces troops in Baiji to stop ISIS

The Iraqi government has deployed reinforced its troops to the northern region of Baiji to stop ISIS’s progress into the area and to protect the road to the region’s oil refinery, a military official said.

A spokesman for the Iraqi Federal Police, Colonel Mohammed Al-Baidhani, told the Anadolu Agency: “Military reinforcements including troops from the Federal Police, the anti-explosives units, the Jund Al-Imam Shia militia forces and prime ministry guards were deployed on Monday to the Baiji province, north of Tikrit.”

Al-Baidhani said the joint forces have already begun military operations to control the road leading to the Baiji oil refinery.

Three soldiers were killed and five others were wounded in a car bomb driven by a suicide bomber near the Baiji oil refinery today, military source said.

Meanwhile groups loyal to the Islamic State claimed the bomber was a member of ISIS named “Abu Hanthala AL-Pakistani”.

ISIS is trying to gain control of the Baiji oil refinery; Iraq’s largest oil refinery which used to produce nearly 170,000 barrels a day.