BEIJING, April 25 (Xinhuanet) --At least 15 people were killed in clashes between i security forces and militants on Wednesday in the northern town of Sulaiman Pek.

Witnesses said four army helicopters bombed the center of of the town to drive out gunmen. Ten militants and five soldiers were among the dead in the violence, 160 kilometers north of the capital Baghdad.

Thousands of Sunnis have held weekly rallies since December to protest against what they see as marginalisation by Shiite Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki’s government and security forces who they say have unfairly targeted them.

(Source: CNTV.cn)