IS says American suicide bomber carried out Iraq attack

The Islamic State jihadist group said Wednesday that an American was among four suicide bombers who carried out attacks against Iraqi security forces in the Baiji area north of Baghdad.

IS, which has been battling Iraqi forces for control of Baiji for months, said in an online statement that "Abu Abdullah al-Amriki" detonated an explosives-rigged four-by-four near the town.

The other three attackers -- two Tajiks and an Iraqi -- blew up other explosives-rigged vehicles in the Baiji area, the jihadist group said, without specifying when the attacks took place.

IS has drawn in thousands of foreign recruits, including from Europe and the United States.

The jihadist group said another American carried out a suicide bombing against Iraqi forces fighting to retake the city of Tikrit earlier this year.

IS launched a devastating offensive in June 2014, sweeping security forces aside and overrunning around a third of the country.

Baghdad's forces have since regained significant ground north of the capital from IS, but much of western Iraq remain outside government control.