Baghdad: Iraqi security forces, backed by the Iraqi Air Force, launched a military operation on Sunday to target Islamic State (IS) hideouts in Salahuddin province, north of Baghdad. The operation resulted in the death of four IS militants, including two suicide bombers, and one Iraqi soldier, according to a security statement.
The Security Media Cell, a media outlet affiliated with the Iraqi Joint Operations Command, said in a statement that the operation was carried out in a rugged area north of Lake Tharthar in the western part of the province, where IS remnants have been active. The statement said that the Iraqi forces detected the presence of the IS militants and engaged them in a firefight, killing two of them. The other two militants tried to detonate their explosive vests, but one of them was shot dead by a soldier who sacrificed his life to prevent the blast. The other suicide bomber managed to blow himself up, causing no further casualties.
The statement added that the Iraqi forces seized weapons, ammunition, and explosives from the IS hideouts, and continued to search the area for any other militants.
The security situation in Iraq has improved since the defeat of IS in 2017. However, remnants of IS have holed up in urban centers, deserts, and rugged terrain and continue to carry out guerrilla attacks against security forces and civilians. The Iraqi government has vowed to eliminate the remaining IS cells and restore stability and security to the country.
