The attack by the ISIL (Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant) terrorist group on the town of Amirli took place on Wednesday, said Talib al-Bayati, an official from the nearby town of Suleiman Bek.
"Iraqi forces, with the help of military aircraft, repelled an attack on Amirli on three sides and killed 15 gunmen, according to an initial toll," Bayati was quoted by the AFP as saying.
Amirli lies to the south of Suleiman Bek, which fell to an ISIL-led onslaught that swept parts of Iraq's north and west last month.
Iraq has been witnessing a new wave of violence fueled by Takfiri terrorists. The ISIL militants have been operating in the Iraqi provinces of Nineveh, Diyala, Salahuddin and al-Anbar.
Over the past days, the Iraqi Army has launched massive airstrikes to battle the Takfiri terrorists in northern areas.