Baghdad, Nov 13 (IANS): A total of 51 Islamic State (IS) militants were killed in airstrikes and clashes with Iraqi security forces in Iraq's central province of Salahudin Thursday, a provincial security source said.

In the early hours of the day, dozens of IS militants, who have captured part of the town of Dhuluiyah, some 90 km north of Iraq's capital Baghdad, carried out an attack on the northwestern part of the town which is under control of the Sunni tribe of Jubour, the source told Xinhua on condition of anonymity.

Iraqi security forces backed by allied Jubour tribesmen repelled the attackers after hours of fierce clashes, leaving at least eight militants dead, the source said.

Meanwhile, Iraqi warplanes and helicopter gunships provided air support for the security and tribal forces and destroyed several positions of the IS extremist group in and around Dhuluiyah, leaving 35 militants dead and destroying 12 vehicles carrying heavy machine guns, the source added.

Some helicopters attacked IS militants when they opened fire on several boats in the nearby Tigris river to surprise the defenders from the southern side of the town, destroying five boats and killing at least eight militants, he said.

Jubour tribesmen and local police have been fighting the IS militants for months, and repelled many attacks by the extremist group that once seized the town but was driven out.