Baghdad, Jun 20 (IANS): Three Islamic State (IS) militants were killed on Thursday in airstrikes in the northern province of Kirkuk, the Iraqi military said.

Based on intelligence reports, Iraqi warplanes carried out an airstrike at 6:30 a.m. local time in the rugged area of Wadi al-Shay, southwest of the namesake provincial capital Kirkuk, leaving three IS militants killed, according to a statement from the Security Media Cell, a media outlet affiliated to the Iraqi Joint Operations Command.

The warplanes carried out another airstrike on the nearby caves and tunnels used by the militants, Xinhua news agency reported.

The statement gave no immediate details about the results of the second airstrike, but said more information would be released later.

A source in the Iraqi army told Xinhua on condition of anonymity that a force from Kirkuk Operations Command was dispatched to the scene to search the attacked sites.

The security situation in Iraq has improved since the defeat of the IS in 2017. However, IS remnants have sneaked into the urban centres, deserts, and rugged areas, carrying out frequent guerilla attacks against security forces and civilians.