20 Islamic State militants killed in airstrike by Coalition warplanes in Nineveh
Islamic State militants
Baghdad (Iraqinews.com) – Up to 20 Islamic State militants were killed Monday in an airstrike by the U.S.-led international coalition warplanes on a village in Nineveh province, an Iraqi security center said.
Iraqi website Baghdad Today quoted Yehia Rasool, the spokesman for the Iraqi Security Media Center, as saying that “U.S.-led international coalition fighter jets targeted a tunnel for Islamic State in Badush village in Nineveh, leaving 20 militants killed.”
“Troops of the Nineveh Operations Command, meanwhile, destroyed nine tunnels and found 63 explosive charges and 15 locally-made rockets in al-Salam village in Nineveh,” Rasool added.
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.
In December, Iraqi Prime Minister Haidar al-Abadi announced full liberation of Iraqi lands, declaring end of war against IS members.
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.