Iraqi troops kill 3 Islamic State fighters in Salahuddin
A Shi’ite volunteer wearing a mask, who has joined the Iraqi army to fight against the predominantly Sunni militants from the radical Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL), looks on during a parade on a street in Kanaan, Diyala province, June 26, 2014.
Salahuddin (IraqiNews.com) – Three Islamic State militants were killed Monday during a military operation in Salahuddin province, north of the Iraqi capital Baghdad.
Safaa al-Saadi, the commander of Salahuddin Operations at al-Hashd al-Shaabi (Popular Mobilization Forces), said that the pro-government fighters, backed by security forces, launched a military operation to hunt for Islamic State remnants in Salahuddin province.
The troops killed three Islamic State terrorists during the operation, al-Saadi said, adding that the operation will go on “until all planned targets are totally secured.”
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.
The jihadist group had imposed its rule over some 10 million people.