Baghdad, Oct 8 : Four Islamic State (IS) militants, including a senior group member, were killed in an airstrike on their hideout in Salahudin province, north of Baghdad, the Iraqi military reported on Tuesday.

The airstrike, conducted by Iraqi F-16 jet fighters on Monday, targeted an IS hideout based on intelligence reports in a rugged area near the town of al-Eith, according to a statement from the Security Media Cell, which is affiliated with the Iraqi Joint Operations Command.

On Tuesday morning, an army and intelligence unit was dispatched to the site of the airstrike, where they discovered four bodies, one of which is believed to be Abu Omer al-Quraishi, the leader of IS in Salahudin.

The unit also recovered three explosive belts, firearms, hand grenades, night vision goggles, phones used by the militants, and other equipment, Xinhua news agency reported.

While the security situation in Iraq has improved since the defeat of IS in 2017, remnants of the group continue to infiltrate urban areas, deserts, and rugged terrains, frequently conducting guerrilla attacks against security forces and civilians.

/IANS