Prominent Islamic State leader killed in explosion on Salahuddin borders: Official
A bomb explosion. File photo.
“We have information on a mysterious explosion inside a rest house on the outskirts of Mutaibija, on borders between Diyala and Salahuddin, which left one of the leaders, known as ‘the dwarf’, killed” Sadiq al-Husseini, head of the security committee of Diyala provincial council, told AlSumaria News.
“Mutaibija has become one of the shelters for many IS members and leaders recently,” Husseini said calling for a military operation to eliminate presence of the militant group there.
Last week, Islamic State members fell into a trap made by the militant group, which planted explosives at the outskirts of Mutaibija region, on borders between Diyala and Salahuddin. Some of them killed and injured.
Mutaibija has complicated terrain, with numerous hills that serve as a good hideout for militants. Occasional attacks have been witnessed there by Islamic State against government and paramilitary troops deployments since Iraqi forces, backed by a U.S.-led coalition and PMUs, launched a major offensive to retake areas occupied by IS since 2014.
Thousands of IS 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.