BAGHDAD, Feb. 19 (Xinhua) -- Up to 27 members of paramilitary Hashd Shaabi fighters were killed in an ambush by Islamic State (IS) militants near the town of Hawijah in Kirkuk province, a Hashd Shaabi statement said on Monday.

The incident occurred on Sunday night when a force of Hashd Shaabi force were ambushed by a terrorist militants disguised in military uniforms in Hawijah area, in the southwestern part of the oil-rich Kirkuk province, the statement said.

Fierce clashes erupted at the scene for more than two hours, which only ended when reinforcement force from Hashd Shaabi fighters intervened, the statement added.