BAGHDAD

An Iraqi soldier and two Daesh/ISIS terrorists were killed in a security swoop north of the capital Baghdad on Tuesday, according to the defense ministry.

A ministry statement said security forces raided a hideout for Daesh/ISIS terrorists in al-Boghbin, 50 km north of Baghdad.

An Iraqi soldier and two terrorists, including a suicide bomber, were killed in the operation, while an officer was injured, the statement said.

In 2017, Iraq declared victory over Daesh/ISIS by reclaiming all territories the terrorist group controlled since the summer of 2014 which was estimated to be about a third of the country’s territory.

The group, however, still maintains sleeper cells in large areas in Iraq and occasionally launches sporadic attacks.

* Writing by Bassel Barakat in Ankara