An Iraqi airstrike on Friday targeted suspected Islamic State (ISIS) positions in the Zarka area between Salahaddin and Kirkuk, the latest as Baghdad continues cracking down on jihadist cells, particularly in the country’s rural areas in the north and center.
“7 bodies of terrorists, including those wearing explosive belts, in addition to various weapons, logistical materials, devices, criminal evidence, and other materials” were found as security forces arrived at the site on Sunday to inspect the aftermath of the strike, Iraq’s Security Media Cell said in a statement.
ISIS seized control of swathes of territory in northern and central Iraq in 2014. Their so-called caliphate was brought to an end in 2017 when Iraqi and Kurdish fighters, supported by a United States-led international coalition, clawed back territory.
Despite its territorial defeat, ISIS has continued to pose a security threat in Iraq through hit-and-run attacks, bombings, and abductions, particularly in the disputed territories that stretch across several provinces including Diyala, Salahaddin, Kirkuk, and Nineveh.
Iraq’s air force frequently carries out strikes against ISIS cells in the disputed territories.
