DHAKA: Iraqi government forces have made gains in their revolting to drive Islamic State (IS) militants from Falluja one the country's two major cities in IS hands.

The nearby town of Karma, the first line of IS defence, is now in the army's hands, BBC reports on Sunday (May 29).

Large numbers of elite combat troops have also been deployed near Falluja, about 45km (28 miles) west of Baghdad.

However, IS hit back north of Falluja, killed and injured some Iraqi forces in a suicide car bomb attack.

A counter-attack south of the city was repelled with the help of helicopter gunships, the BBC's Jim Muir in Karma reports.

This comes just days after the IS commander in Falluja, Maher al-Bilawi, was killed along with dozens militants in US-led coalition air strikes, according to Washington.

BDST: 0930 HRS, May 29, 2016
SAS/AKA