Iraqi defense minister escapes sniper fire in Salahudin province

Iraqi Defense Minister Khalid al-Obeidi on Monday escaped an assassination attempt by sniper fire near the battleground town of Baiji in Iraq's northern central province of Salahudin, wounding one of his guards, a Defense Ministry statement said.

The incident occurred during Obeidi's visit to the security forces in Tal Abu-Jarad area near Baiji, where the security forces and allied militias, known as Hashd Shaabi, are stationed at the strategic area in south of the battlefield town of Baiji, some 200 km north of the Iraqi capital of Baghdad, the statement said.

A sniper from the Islamic State (IS) group opened fire on the minister's convoy, wounding one of the his guards but Obeidi escaped unharmed, it said without giving further details.

The attack took place as the security forces and allied militias, backed by Iraqi and U.S.-led coalition aircraft, have been fighting fierce clashes with the extremist militants in Baiji, but for more than a month the two sides have been involved in fierce tug-of-war battles inside and near the town.

Sporadic heavy clashes are also underway near Baiji where Iraq' s largest oil refinery located, as the security forces are fighting to drive out IS militants from Baiji refinery, which the militants are seizing large parts of it.

The security situation in Iraq has drastically deteriorated since June 10 last year, when bloody clashes broke out between Iraqi security forces and the IS. Enditem