Two Islamic State members killed in an operation, southwest of Kirkuk: Police

Baghdad (IraqiNews.com) Two Islamic State members, one of whom was a suicide attacker, were killed, while tunnels used by the militants were confiscated, southwest of Kirkuk, the Iraqi Federal Police Command said on Thursday.

In a statement, the command said troops “managed to kill two Islamic State members, one of whom was a suicide attacker, in a military operation in a village in Hawija town.”

Troops also found several tunnels used by the militants as well as four explosives, the statement added.

On Monday, the Interior Ministry said police managed to arrest an Islamic State member, who took part in attacks against Iraqi security troops in the province.

Last week, the Defense Ministry announced arresting 15 members of a terrorist cell in Kirkuk.

In December, the Iraqi Prime Minister Haidar al-Abadi announced gaining control on all the territories that were captured by Islamic State, since 2014.

Thousands of militants as well as Iraqi civilians were killed since the government campaign, backed by paramilitary troops and the coalition was launched in October 2016 to fight the militant group, which declared a self-styled “caliphate” from Mosul in June 2014.

Islamic State continues to launch sporadic attacks across Iraq against troops. Security reports indicate that the militant group still poses threat against stability in the country. The group still has dormant cells, through which it carries out attacks, across Iraq like it used to do before 2014.