BAGHDAD, May 22 (Xinhua) -- Two Islamic State (IS) militants were killed in an airstrike in the central Iraqi province of Salahuddin, the Iraqi military said on Thursday.
Acting on intelligence, Iraqi forces conducted the airstrike on Tuesday, targeting an IS hideout in the mountainous area of Balkana in the northeastern part of the province, according to a statement from the Security Media Cell, a media outlet affiliated with the Iraqi Joint Operations Command.
A joint force of army and intelligence personnel was dispatched to search the bombed area and found, by Thursday morning, the bodies of two militants, along with weapons, mobile phones, and other logistical supplies, the statement said.
It added that the search operation for IS militants and the intelligence monitoring process are still ongoing in the area.
While Iraq declared victory over IS in 2017, remnants of the group continue to carry out attacks against security forces and civilians in urban areas, deserts, and remote regions. ■
