Iraqi army kills four Islamic State militants while infiltrating into Salahuddin
A group of Islamic State militants hold a parade wearing their custom black uniforms
Salahuddin (Iraqinews.com) – Iraqi army, backed by pro-government troops, killed on Tuesday four Islamic State (IS) militants while trying to infiltrate into al-Shirqat district in northern Salahuddin province via western borders, a security source was quoted as saying.
Speaking to Knooz Media, the source said, “A group of IS militants tried to infiltrate into the Sunni-dominated al-Shirqat district coming from western borders, but troops of the Iraqi army and al-Hashd al-Shaabi (Popular Mobilization Forces) managed to foil their plot and killed four of them.”
The source affirmed that the security situation “in the district is now under control.”
The IS group declared a self-styled “caliphate” in a third of Iraq and neighboring Syria in 2014, prompting the Iraqi government to launch a campaign with the help of the a U.S.-led international coalition to retake IS-held regions, managing to retake all havens.
Although Iraq declared victory over Islamic State in December, isolated cells believed to be linked to the militant group remain active in some parts of the country.
The surge in violence between armed groups and government forces has resulted in over 3 million internally displaced persons across Iraq and left more than 11 million in need of humanitarian assistance, according to the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs.