IS gunmen kill 11 Iraqi troops in brazen attack on barracks

Baghdad: Gunmen from the Islamic State extremist group attacked an army barracks in a mountainous area north of Baghdad early Friday, killing 11 soldiers as they slept, the Iraqi military and security officials said.

The officials said the attack occurred in the Al-Azim district, an open area north of Baqouba in Diyala province. The circumstances of the attack were not immediately clear, but two officials who spoke to The Associated Press said Islamic State group militants broke into the barracks at 3 am local time and shot dead the

soldiers.

The officials spoke on condition of anonymity as they weren't authorized to issue official statements.

An Iraqi military statement said the dead included an officer with the rank of lieutenant and 10 soldiers.