Terrorists of the so-called ‘Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant’ (ISIL) takfiri group killed seven members of Iraq’s security forces Friday during a raid south of Mosul, officials said.

Police officers said that militants crossed the Tigris River early in the morning and clashed with security personnel in the Sharqat area about 90 kilometres (55 miles) from Mosul. One of the officers, a lieutenant colonel, said that the terrorists had planted bombs in the area.

The martyrs were four soldiers, two tribal militiamen and one policeman, as clashes in the area were still ongoing.

The ISIL terrorist group jihadists have launched a series of attacks aimed at diverting resources away from the Mosul operation, including one in the city of Kirkuk that sparked multiple days of fighting and left dozens dead.

Iraqi forces have said they foiled other attacks, while a series of bombings has also hit areas in and around Baghdad.

ISIL occupied large areas north and west of Baghdad in 2014, but Iraqi forces have since regained significant ground, and have launched Mosul campaign to liberate the last occupied city held by the terrorists.

Source: AFP