TRIPOLI, Aug. 25 (Xinhua) -- Islamic State (IS) on Saturday claimed responsibility for Thursday's attack on a security checkpoint in the western Libyan city of Zliten, which killed and injured security personnel.

"A number of soldiers of the caliphate raided Wadi K'am checkpoint on Zliten road, targeting a gathering of security members of the infidel government. They clashed with them with light weapons and grenades," IS media arm Amaq said in a statement on Twitter.

It said that 17 security men were killed and injured, confirming that the "Mujahideen returned safely to their positions".

IS affiliates on a four-wheel drive vehicle earlier on Thursday attacked a security checkpoint in the western city of Zliten, some 160 km east of the capital Tripoli, killing seven security personnel and injuring two others, according to a local security source.

The attack came less than a day after IS leader, Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, called on his supporters to "turn to Libya and support the Mujahideen in Libya, Syria and Iraq."

A number of Libyan cities have previously suffered similar terrorist attacks, targeting security and military checkpoints.