Three IS militants killed in Iraq’s northern city of Kirkuk

Baghdad: Three Islamic State (IS) militants were killed in Iraq’s northern city of Kirkuk, a police source said.

Iraqi security forces surrounded two IS militants wearing explosive belts on a motorcycle in a neighbourhood in Kirkuk, some 250 km north of Baghdad on Sunday, Kirkuk police Salam al-Obaidi told Xinhua news agency.

The security forces clashed with the two militants and killed them, al-Obaidi said. Later, the security forces separately killed a third IS militant wearing an explosive belt in the same neighbourhood, al-Obaidi added.

The security situation in Iraq has improved since the defeat of the IS in 2017. However, IS remnants have sneaked into urban centres, deserts, and rugged areas, carrying out frequent guerilla attacks against security forces and civilians.