Officials in southern Iraq say gunmen wearing suicide vests and driving an explosive-laden vehicle have attacked a police checkpoint, killing seven people.
Authorities say at least 15 people were wounded in the attack Sunday near the town of Qadisiyah, 180 kilometers south of Baghdad.
All the attackers were killed in the incident claimed by the Islamic State.
Interior Ministry spokesman Saad Maan said the militants "were planning to head to Najaf to blow themselves up there." Najaf is a considered the religious capital for Iraq's Shiite majority .
Jihadists attacks in overwhelmingly Shiite southern Iraq are extremely rare.
IS has not controlled territory in southern Iraq, but has occasionally launched attacks in the area.
