Iraqi security forces on Thursday managed to kill six gunmen and destroy several outposts and tunnels that were used by ISIS remnants in a remote area south of Kirkuk.
Elite Iraqi counterterrorism units conducted the military operation in the Wadi al-Shai valley, southwest of Daquq District, as part of ongoing efforts to hunt down remnants of the terrorist organization.
Forces destroyed 13 hideouts, eight tunnels, and five weapons caches in the area, according to a statement by the Security Media Cell.
Top SDF commander Mazloum Kobani earlier this month warned that a new phase had begun in anti-ISIS operations and appealed for sustained assistance from the US-led coalition to help smash “sleeper cells.”
Terrorists continue to have a presence in mountainous or desert regions between Syria and Iraq, which had declared victory over ISIS in December 2017.