Islamic State ground attacks kill 23 in Iraq Anbar province

Iraq has been rocked by another round of suicide attacks and mortar shelling by Islamic State (Isis) militants, killing at least 23 soldiers and government-connected militia fighters. The attacks took place today (23 August) in the disputed Anbar province in the west of the capital Bagdad Iraqi military and police officials confirmed.

The authorities said that today's attack killed 17 soldiers and six Sunni militia fighters, and took place in the district of Jaramshah north of Anbar's capital Ramadi. Reports said that the chief of the army operations in Anbar Major General Qassim al-Dulaimi was slightly wounded in the attack, but was in no immediate danger.

Today's attack follows reports that as many as 50 soldiers were killed by Isis (IS) fighters in other parts of the Anbar province two days ago. The Iraqi government and allied militia are attempting to wrest back control of the province from IS.

In other news, Reuters has reported that gunmen have shot and wounded Carlo Morandi, the Italian manager of an Italian-Iraqi logistics company who was injured while withdrawing cash from a cash machine in Basra. The police in the region have described the attack on Morandi as "criminal" and not terrorist or IS related.

Colonel Kareem al-Zaidi said that Morandi had not been attacked because he was a foreigner in Iraqi and that motive was likely to be robbery.
Officials said the Italian national's injuries are not life-threatening.