US defense officials say Islamic State fighters have led a suicide attack on an Iraqi airbase, where US and its allied forces are training Iraqi forces.
The attack follows the taking of nearby town of al-Baghdadi by IS fighters, which represents the first territorial gain by the militant group in months.
Navy Rear Admiral John Kirby, spokesman of the Pentagon, said the militants failed to take the airbase and ended up all killed.
"They certainly did get to the perimeter of the base. I can't sit here and tell you the degree to which the perimeter was breached. I just don't have that level of detail. But they certainly did arrive at the perimeter of the base. I also think it's important to make clear that they were immediately engaged by members of the Iraqi Army, the 7th infantry of the Iraqi Army, and all were killed."
Kirby said an estimated 20 to 25 Islamic State militants were involved in the attack, some of whom managed to detonate bombs while others were killed by Iraqi troops.
The spokesman added that No US troops were killed or wounded in the gunfight, but he did not have details of Iraqi casualties.
There are about 400 US troops at the al-Asad base.
There are currently nearly 2,600 US forces in Iraq. Of those, about 450 are training Iraqi troops at three bases across the country.
