Iraqi forces kill over 20 Islamic State militants in Nineveh
An Iraqi solider waves the “V” victory sign following a great triumph over the Islamic State group
Nineveh (IraqiNews.com) – Over 20 Islamic State militants were killed on Wednesday during a military operation in Badush heights in Nineveh province, a security source said as Iraqi forces still launch nationwide manhunts for the IS extremists.
Speaking to the National Iraqi News Agency (NINA), the source pointed out that security forces, backed by the Air Force, carried out numerous landing operations in Badush heights and Hatra districts in Nineveh after receiving intelligence reports about the presence of several IS terrorists there.
“More than 20 IS terrorists were killed in the military operation,” the source said, warning that dormant cells of the extremist group are still active in some parts of Nineveh.
Earlier in the day, the Iraqi Security Media Center announced that 14 Islamic State militants were arrested during a wide-scale security operation in Nineveh.
According to the center, the arrestees were involved in the fights against security forces during the military operations to liberate Nineveh from IS militants.
In August 2017, former Iraqi prime minister Haider al-Abadi announced that Nineveh province was “fully liberated” from Islamic State, after the district of Tal Afar was re-captured.
The Iraqi government launched an operation to retake Tal Afar on August 20, 2017 involving some 50,000 personnel from the army, air force, federal police, special forces and the Shia Muslim-led paramilitary Popular Mobilization Forces.