It's believed 23 people have been killed dozens injured in clashes between security forces and Sunni demonstrators.

The fighting broke out in the town of Hawijah, a Sunni community, about 240 kilometers 160 miles north of Baghdad.

The area has been the site of ongoing anti-government protests which began in December.

There's been conflicting reports on the number of casualties with Iraq's Defense Ministry claiming 20 people, whom it described as militants, were killed, along with an army officer and two soldiers.

Another nine members of the military were wounded, the ministry said in a statement.

Initially reports from Iraqi officials described those killed as members of al-Qaeda and Saddam Hussein's outlawed Baath Party.