BAGHDAD, Nov. 17 (Xinhua) -- Two Islamic State (IS) militants were killed on Friday in a military operation near the Iraqi capital Baghdad, the Iraqi military said.
Based on intelligence reports, Iraqi soldiers teamed up with government-backed paramilitary Hashd Shaabi fighters and conducted an operation to hunt down IS militants in the Tarmiyah area, about 40 km north of Baghdad, killing two militants, spokesman of the commander-in-chief of the Iraqi forces Yahia Rasoul said in a statement.
Rasoul added that the troops also wounded a third IS militant who managed to escape, and search was underway to capture him.
The security situation in Iraq has improved since the defeat of the IS in 2017. However, IS remnants have melted into urban centers, deserts, and rugged areas, carrying out frequent guerilla attacks against security forces and civilians. ■
