At least 18 Islamic State (IS) militants were killed on Wednesday in operations by Iraqi security forces and airstrikes by US-led coalition fighter jets. The terrorists were killed in several parts of Iraq.
In Iraq’s western province of Anbar, four IS militants were killed and their vehicle destroyed when paramilitary tribal fighters raided their hideout in Akashat area in the desert near the border with Syria.
Four others were killed by airstrikes in an IS hideout in the south of Sneislah Lake in the east of the borderline with Syria. The remainder of the terrorist were killed in mop-up operations in Nineveh province, and al-Munayif Mountain in a desert area near the border with Syria.
The security situation in Iraq was dramatically improved after Iraqi security forces fully defeated the extremists IS militants across the country late in 2017. IS remnants, however, have since melted in urban areas or resorted to deserts and rugged areas as safe havens, carrying out frequent guerilla attacks against security forces and civilians.
