According to a statement by the Iraqi Joint Operations Command, Iraqi forces carried out an airstrike at dawn on a cave, which was used as a hideout by the IS in the Hatra desert in the southern part of the province, and killed five militants inside.

An anonymous army source said that a security force was dispatched there to search the area.

Over the past few months, Iraqi security forces have carried out deadly attacks against IS militants to stem their intensified activities.

The security situation in Iraq has improved after Iraqi forces defeated the IS in 2017.

Yet, IS remnants have since melted into urban centers, deserts and rugged areas, carrying out frequent guerilla attacks against security forces and civilians.