BAGHDAD / BEIRUT: Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi visited the city of Samarra Sunday to announce the launch of a government offensive to clear Salahuddin province of ISIS militants – and urge his forces to treat civilian populations well following growing reports of violations by pro-government militiamen.

Abadi’s visit came one day after the jihadi group deployed three suicide bombers against Samarra as part of a multipronged attack that killed more than a dozen pro-government militiamen. Abadi presided over a meeting with military officials to discuss the Salahuddin campaign, a presidential spokesman said.

The spokesman said Abadi “announced the beginning of military operations to liberate Salahuddin province after learning about the military preparations and studying ways to assure that any losses can be reduced.”

Pro-government Shiite militias have been widely accused of committing human rights violations in Sunni-majority areas as part of the government’s fight-back against ISIS.

Abadi, the spokesman continued, indicated that “security of civilians is a strategic goal for the government – there are directives that forbid harming civilians as long as they do not take up arms or join ISIS.”

The accusations of human rights violations have dogged pro-regime militiamen for indiscriminately punishing Sunni populations as alleged collaborators with the jihadi group, which has terrorized all of Iraq’s communities.

Abadi’s visit came after ISIS suicide bombers and fighters struck targets Saturday in Samarra.

Security sources and residents said the attack was launched at 5:30 a.m. when two ISIS suicide bombers blew up their cars in the northern area of Sur Shnas.

At the same time a man detonated a Humvee rigged with explosives in the south of the city, while ISIS fighters attacked security forces to the west with sniper fire, mortar bombs and rocket-propelled grenades.

Medical sources said Samarra hospital received the bodies of 14 Shiite militia fighters and policemen.

Thousands of troops and fighters from Shiite militias known as the Popular Mobilization force have gathered around Samarra for a campaign to drive ISIS out of nearby strongholds on the Tigris River, including the city of Tikrit 50 km to the north.

The army shelled northern and western districts of Tikrit Saturday but did not send troops into the city, security sources said. Army helicopters had also fired rockets at ISIS militants around Sur Shnas, they said.

In the town of Ishaaqi, about 20 km southeast of Samarra, snipers shot dead two Hashid Shaabi men as they tried to set up a sand barrier on the main highway linking Samarra to the capital Baghdad.

Further east in Diyala province, 11 people were killed in a twin car bombing in the town of Balad Roz Saturday. One of those killed was a judge, according to security and medical sources.

The U.N. mission to Iraq said Sunday that violence claimed the lives of at least 1,100 Iraqis in February.