Terror group, Islamic State of Iraq (ISIS), reportedly carried out a suicide attack on the Iraq’s largest refinery, Biji oil, on Saturday, April 11, leaving 15 of the terrorists dead, Iraqi media reports.
“ISIS militants carried out an attack with mortar rounds and medium and light weapons on Biji oil refinery,” a security source was quoted to have said.
The source said clashes between the Iraqi army and the militants left some ISIS fighters dead, noting the battle also destroyed oil tanks inside the refinery.
A major general from Salaheddin province described the attack on the refinery, which lies around 200 kilometres (120 miles) north of Baghdad, as “the fiercest since we broke the siege a few months ago.”
He said the militants attacked the large complex from three fronts: Al-Bujwari village to the south, the housing compound for refinery employees to the west and one of the smaller plants producing derivatives to the east.
“Three suicide attackers were able to reach the entrances of the refinery. Two were killed but one managed to blow himself up,”the army officer said.
He said that the Iraqi forces protecting the refinery regained control of the entrances and that the entire site was now under government control.