CLASHES between Iraqi government forces and pro-Islamic State (Isis) militants, along with bomb attacks in the capital Baghdad, killed at least 22 people and wounded dozens today.

Heavy fighting erupted in three separate areas outside the Isis-controlled city Tikrit, killing 12 security forces, Shi’ite militiamen and civilians and wounding 37 others, a police official said.

He added that three suicide truck bombers had attacked the security forces during the clashes.

Isis boasted that the attacks had been carried out by French, Syrian and Qatari fighters.

Mortar shells struck two Shi’ite neighbourhoods in Baghdad, killing at least 10 civilians. The deadliest attack struck a commercial area in the northern Shula district, where seven civilians died and 19 others were wounded.

Jordanian armed forces Joint Chiefs of Staff chairman Lt-Gen Mashal al-Zaben met Iraq’s defence minister today, reiterating Amman’s “support to Iraq in its war against the terrorist gangs.”