Iraqi officials say gunmen have taken several people hostage after storming a police station in western Iraq.

The officials said the attackers also used explosives at the police headquarters Monday in the town of al-Baghdadi, located in Anbar province about 200 kilometers west of the capital, Baghdad.

There was no immediate report of any casualties.

Authorities said Iraq Army forces had surrounded the compound, which also holds the office of the town's mayor.

Violence in Iraq is down from the peak of 2006 and 2007, but U.S. and Iraqi officials have expressed concerns about Baghdad's ability to cope with security as U.S. troops prepare to withdraw by the end of the year.