News in Focus, Tuesday, 20 September 2018 14:12:43 Islamic State (Isis) terrorists have launched a new wave of violence in Iraq and Syria, targeting civilians and security forces, targeting journalists and media organisations.
Iraqi security forces said they had killed a number of IS militants in the north-east of the country.
In the western province of Anbar, police said they killed a group of gunmen who were holding people hostage in an apartment building.
An Iraqi security source said a large number of armed men were seen in the area, which is near the city of Ramadi.
Iraqi media outlets, citing security sources, said the gunmen were carrying a car bomb.
In Iraq, there are about 2,400 IS militants, most of them from Mosul, the Iraqi city seized by the jihadists last year.
The group is still in control of large parts of Iraq and neighbouring Syria.
The latest violence comes days after US President Donald Trump said he would seek to withdraw all US troops from Iraq by the end of the year.
