Multiple Islamic State suicide attacks in Iraq's Anbar kill 17 troops

Baghdad: An Iraqi military spokesman says Islamic State militants have carried out multiple suicide attacks targeting the army in western Anbar province, killing at least 17 troops.

Brig. Gen Saad Maan Ibrahim, the spokesman for the Joint Military Command, told The Associated Press on Wednesday that the attacks took place outside the Islamic State-held city of Fallujah late the previous night.

Ibrahim says the Islamic State extremists used a sandstorm that engulfed most of Iraq on Tuesday night to launch the deadly wave of bombings. He said he doesn't have more details for the moment.

The attacks were unleashed just hours after the Iraqi government announced the start of a wide-scale operation to recapture areas under the control of the IS group in western Anbar province.