The New York Times reports: Islamic State fighters launched a heavy attack on government-held territory in Anbar Province late on Thursday and on Friday, killing 25 Iraqi police officers and soldiers, and then 15 family members of local police officers, according to Iraqi officials.

The attackers overran large parts of Albu Faraj, a town just north of the provincial capital, Ramadi, less than two days after officials in the province declared that they had begun an offensive against the extremists to the east of the capital, police officials in Ramadi said.

A convoy of police reinforcements sent to Albu Faraj was attacked by a suicide bomber, wounding Maj. Gen. Kadhim al-Duleimi, the Anbar Province police commander, the police officials said. They spoke on the condition of anonymity as a matter of official policy.

The attack continued into Friday afternoon, they said. Officials were still trying to determine how many of those who had been taken to a hospital in Ramadi from the attack in Albu Faraj had died. [Continue reading…]