rtokens: He said damage and casualties in the city were heavy and Kurdish forces were defending the city .
pos: EX VBD DT JJ NN IN DT NN WDT DT NN VBD VBN IN DT NN POS NNS IN NNP .
tokens: There was no independent confirmation of the report which the spokesman said came from the organisation 's members in Arbil .
ltokens: " At 4.50 a.m. Iraq time ( 0050 GMT ) Iraqi forces began an artillery attack on the outskirts of Arbil , " the spokesman , who asked not to be identified , told Reuters in a telephone call .