Massacre averted as dozens of suicide-bombers killed in Iraq

At least 14 Islamic state group [IS] militants were killed early on Saturday, after they launched a surprise offensive on the town of Ameriyat al-Fallujah, a day after hundreds of suspected terrorists were released from the town's detention centres.

The militants who were wearing explosive vests were killed by security forces and allied paramilitary tribal forces before they could detonate their suicide bombs in the town in the western Anbar province.

IS still controls Fallujah city just north of Ameriyat al-Fallujah, but it is almost completely besieged by pro-government forces.

"IS launched an attack from the south and tried to detonate suicide bombs at residential buildings in the centre of the town and a camp for displaced people," member of Anbar's provincial council, Raji Barakat, told The New Arab.

"Around 14 suicide bombers entered the town and split into two groups, one unit advanced on the camp and the other advanced on buildings home to hundreds of families," Barakat said.

He added that the militants were killed by pro-government forces before they could carry out the attacks in clashes that lasted from 4 am until early Saturday morning.

Tribal leader Abdel Rahman al-Issawi said the militants had taken advantage of the government forces' siege of Fallujah to launch the surprise offensive.

"The situation is currently under control as government and tribal troops have been deployed to the south of the town to prevent another attack. Most of the soldiers stationed here were sent to the fighting in Fallujah, creating a security vacuum," Issawi told The New Arab.

On Friday, the government released 600 terrorism suspects being held in makeshift holding centres in Ameriyat al-Fallujah

On Friday, the government released 600 terrorism suspects being held in makeshift holding centres in Ameriyat al-Fallujah.

The High Court Council said in a statement that the detainees had been released after it had found insufficient evidence to convict the men of terrorism charges.

Amnesty International released a report earlier this month about the "horrendous conditions" the detainees, including some as young as 15, were being kept in the town's prison.

"The detainees are squeezed into a space of less than one square metre each, sitting in a crouching position day and night, unable to stretch or lie down to sleep and are rarely allowed outside for fresh air," said Amnesty International's Salil Shetty.

"It was a truly shocking sight – hundreds of human beings packed together like sardines in a tin and held in inhumane and degrading conditions for months on end," he added.

At least 94 people were killed in three blasts in Baghdad on Wednesday, the deadliest day in the Iraqi capital this year.