At least seven people have been killed and nine others wounded in an attack on a government-run power plant in northern Iraq, security officials said.
Armed with grenades and wearing explosives belts, three attackers entered the facility in Samarra, some 100 kilometers north of Baghdad, in the early hours of September 2, the officials said.
The attackers briefly besieged the site, where other workers were present. Security reinforcements arrived on the scene, killing two of the attackers and evacuating the employees, Iraq's independent portal Alsumaria News reported.
The news portal quoted an unnamed security source as saying: "The situation in Samarra is now under the control of security forces. The forces are combing the area to ensure complete security.”
There was no immediate claim of responsibility for the attack, but the Islamic State (IS) militants frequently carry out suicide bombings in Iraq.
The militant group has suffered significant military setbacks and lost ground in Iraq in recent months.
In July, Iraqi forces recaptured Mosul, a key IS stronghold in the north. This week, Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi declared victory over the radical group in Tel Afar, west of Mosul.
Based on reporting by dpa and AFP