BAGHDAD, Iraq, March 9 (NNN-NINA) – A total of six Daesh militants were killed and seven of their hideouts destroyed, in a two-week operation by security forces to chase the extremist militants in Iraq’s eastern province of Diyala, a provincial official said on Friday.
“The large-scale military operation, which was launched two weeks ago, to track the militants of Daesh in the area of the Hawdh al-Waqf, some 25 km north-east of the provincial capital Baquba, has ended today, after completing all of its planned stages,” said Sadiq al-Husseini, head of security committee of the provincial council.
The operation was carried out by the army, provincial elite police force of Rapid Response, paramilitary Hashd Shaabi, backed by the army’s helicopter gunships, al-Husseini said.
The troops also detonated 20 roadside bombs planted by the militants and seized several caches of weapons and ammunition, he added.
Hawdh al-Waqf is an agricultural area and its 11 villages stretch in north-east of Baquba, which itself is located about 65 km north-east of the Iraqi capital Baghdad. The extremist militants are holed up in the farms and orchards of the area, al-Husseini said.
Despite repeated military operations in the Diyala province, remnants of the militants are still hiding in some rugged areas near the border with Iran, and in the sprawling areas extending from the western part of the province to the Himreen mountain range in the north of Baquba.– NNN-NINA
