3 Islamic State fighters killed during security operation in western Iraq
Islamic State fighters carry their swords following a battle with Iraqi security forces. File photo
Anbar (IraqiNews.com) – Iraqi security forces killed on Saturday three Islamic State militants during a security operation in the western province of Anbar, a security source was quoted as saying.
“Security forces, backed by Tribal Mobilization Forces, stormed a hotbed of the Islamic State militant group in al-Husainiat district in western Anbar, leaving three terrorists dead,” the source told Almaalomah news website.
“The troops found explosive belts, as well as a large cache of ammunition and bombs inside the hotbed,” the source said, adding that all the bombs were dismantled by the explosives experts at the scene.
The Islamic State group appeared on the international scene in 2014 when it seized large swathes of territory in Iraq and Syria, declaring the establishment of an Islamic “caliphate” from Mosul city.
Later on, the group has become notorious for its brutality, including mass killings, abductions and beheadings, prompting the U.S. to lead an international coalition to destroy it.
Despite the group’s crushing defeat at its main havens across Iraq, Islamic State continues to launch sporadic attacks against troops with security reports warning that the militant group still poses a threat against stability in the country.