Baghdad, June 29 : Iraqi security forces killed on Sunday three senior Islamic State (IS) militants in an operation in northern Iraq, the Iraqi Counter-Terrorism Service said in a statement.

Acting on intelligence reports, counter-terrorism forces ambushed the militants and killed them in Kirkuk province, the statement said without giving further details about their exact location in the province, Xinhua news agency reported.

It said that two of the militants were sector commanders, while the third was a battalion commander in the Kirkuk province.

The counter-terrorism service will continue to eliminate the remnants of terrorism in Iraq, the statement added.

While Iraq declared victory over IS in 2017, remnants of the group continue to carry out attacks against security forces and civilians in urban areas, deserts, and remote regions.

IS emerged from the remnants of al-Qaeda in Iraq and other Sunni insurgent groups. By 2014, it had gained control of major cities like Fallujah and Mosul, and much of Anbar province.

In 2014, ISIS declared a worldwide caliphate, claiming religious and political authority over all Muslims, a claim widely rejected.

After fierce fighting and military operations by Iraqi security forces and the Global Coalition, IS lost most of its territorial control in Iraq and Syria by 2017 and 2019.

Despite losing its territorial control, ISIS continues to operate as an insurgency, launching attacks and engaging in guerrilla warfare tactics in Iraq and Syria.

Even without a caliphate, IS remains a threat, with thousands of fighters still active, and continues to carry out attacks and destabilise the region.

Current Situation in Iraq.

IS continues to conduct attacks against Iraqi security forces and civilians, including bombings, ambushes, and other forms of violence.

IS exploits instability and security gaps, particularly in remote areas and along the Syrian-Iraqi border.

/IANS