BAGHDAD

A senior member of the Daesh/ISIS terror group was killed in an Iraqi airstrike targeting his car in the western Anbar province, according to the defense ministry on Thursday.

The attack took place in the desert of Al-Rutba district in Anbar, a ministry statement said.

It identified the militant as Muthanna Khader Kamel Shatran, nicknamed Abu Malika, adding that he was the terror group’s Anbar governor.

The statement said one of his aides was also killed in the attack.

Daesh/ISIS has in recent months intensified attacks against military and civilian targets in northern and eastern Iraq.

In response, the Iraqi forces often conduct military operations to pursue members of the terror group.

*Writing by Ibrahim Mukhtar