BAGHDAD, Oct. 2 (Xinhua) -- At least three Islamic State (IS) militants were killed on Friday in airstrikes in a rugged area in the northeast of Iraq's capital Baghdad, a security source said.
Iraqi warplanes conducted the airstrikes in the morning on six IS hideouts in abandoned villages in the rugged area between the provinces of Salahudin and Diyala, Alaa al-Saadi from Salahudin provincial police told Xinhua.
The airstrikes destroyed the hideouts and killed at least three militants, al-Saadi said, citing initial reports.
Despite repeated military operations against IS remnants, the extremist militants are still hiding in deserts and rugged areas as well as in Himreen mountain range which extends in the provinces of Diyala, Salahudin, and Kirkuk.
The security situation in Iraq has been improved since Iraqi security forces fully defeated the IS militants across the country late in 2017.
However, IS remnants have since melted in urban areas or deserts and rugged areas, carrying out frequent guerilla attacks against security forces and civilians. Enditem
