Alwaght- At least 10 Iraqi soldiers were killed and over 20 injured on Sunday after ISIS terrorists ambushed a convoy of off-duty soldiers in the West Asian country's sprawling western desert, associated Press reported.
Iraqi Maj. Emad al-Dulaimi said the attack took place the night before near the town of Rutba. Al-Dulaimi blamed the carnage on ISIS terrorist group, saying assailants were armed with assault rifles and rockets
The ISIS later in the day took responsibility for the attack. A statement on the ISIS-affiliated Aamaq news agency claimed 18 were killed in the ambush, including two officers.
ISIS has carried out many similar attacks targeting Iraqi forces in the past months to detract from the ongoing battle between Iraqi forces and Islamic State militants in Mosul.
Rutba lies about 390 kilometers west of Baghdad in the country's vast Anbar province. It's the last sizable town on the way to the border with Jordan.