A security source told Shafaq News Agency that Daesh militants launched an attack against a military post in Shirek village, 10 km north of Khanaqin, but army forces responded to the attack and forced them to flee.
In recent months, suspected Daesh militants have stepped up attacks, particularly in the area between Kirkuk, Salahuddin (north), and Diyala (east), known as the “Triangle of Death”.
In 2017, Iraq declared victory over Daesh by reclaiming all of its territory – about a third of the country’s area – invaded by the terrorist group in 2014.
However, the terrorist group still maintains sleeper cells in some areas of Iraq and periodically launches attacks.
The Iraqi army and popular forces continue to carry out frequent operations against the terror group in these parts of the country.