The Islamic State group on Saturday killed two policemen guarding a northern Iraqi oil field, in a first attack on energy facilities since jihadists were driven from the region's towns, a security source said.

"A large number of IS terrorists attacked a post of the oil police force near well 43 in the Khabbaz oilfield, killing two and wounding a third," the source told AFP.

Iraqi forces announced the total defeat of IS in the country in December after a punishing campaign to oust the group from territory it seized in 2014.

But cells of jihadists remain behind and have continued to carry out bloody attacks, including killing 27 pro-government fighters in an ambush in the Hawija region last week.

Iraq's central government retook the vital oil fields around Kirkuk from the autonomous Kurdistan region last year after it held a disputed vote on independence.

The income from oil is vital for Iraq, OPEC's second biggest producer, as the country needs tens of billions of dollar to rebuild after the devastating fight against IS.

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Iran, India shake hands on energy
Washington (UPI) Feb 19, 2018
After signing a handful of agreements in India, Iranian President Hassan Rouhani said his country was ready to meet the country's energy needs. The Iranian president led a delegation to India last week, rounding up his visit by signing around a dozen memoranda of understanding. A joint statement from a meeting between Rouhani and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi outlined "long-term" partnerships and a desire to reach "appropriate results on energy cooperation." India has long been on ... read more