43 IS militants killed near Baghdad

A total of 43 Islamic State (IS) militants were killed on Sunday in clearance operations against their positions near the Iraqi capital of Baghdad, the Defense Ministry said.

An army force swept the desert areas of Halabsa, Nibaie, al-Liyn, Albu Obied and Albu Khalifa in northwest of Baghdad and clashed with the IS militants, leaving 19 IS militants killed after they seized five of their redoubts, the ministry said in a statement posted on its website.

The troops destroyed two vehicles carrying heavy machine guns and a third carrying ammunition, along with defusing 27 roadside bombs and 13 booby-trapped houses, the statement said.

The offensive also targeted Sabi al-Bour area, another IS redoubt just northwest of Baghdad, and killed 24 militants, including three local leaders, it said, adding that the troops destroyed three vehicles carrying machine guns and a rocket launcher which was prepared to pound the holy Shiite district of Kadhmiyah in northern Baghdad.

Security in Iraq has drastically deteriorated since June 10, 2014 when clashes broke out between Iraqi security forces and Sunni militants. The latter took control of the city of Mosul and seized a swath of territories in Nineveh and other Sunni provinces. Enditem