Australia trying to confirm reports Australian teen was among Islamic State suicide bombers

SYDNEY – Australia's government says it is trying to confirm reports that an Australian teenager was among a group of suicide bombers from the Islamic State movement who struck Iraq's embattled Anbar province.

The Islamic State group claimed that it used foreign fighters from Australia, Belgium, Syria and Uzbekistan in Wednesday's attack, in which at least 13 suicide car bombs exploded almost simultaneously in Ramadi, the provincial capital of Anbar. One photo posted online featured a white van driving down a dusty street, alongside an image of a young man who closely resembles 18-year-old Jake Bilardi of Melbourne sitting behind the wheel.

Australian Foreign Minister Julie Bishop said the government was trying to independently verify whether Bilardi was part of the attack.