Baghdad, Dec 29 (IANS): A successful anti-Islamic State (IS) operation by Iraqi forces has left more than 180 IS terrorists dead in a key area of the country’s central province of Salahuddin.

IS terrorists suffered a huge blow Sunday as Iraqi forces, backed by volunteer fighters, launched a successful offensive in Yathrib, south of Tikrit, Press TV reported citing a Iraqi defence ministry statement.

A huge amount of ammunition and vehicles belonging to the terrorists were also destroyed during the operation, the ministry said in the statement.

Key IS figures operating in Yathrib have begun to flee the city as they failed to resist the army’s massive offensive in the area, Iraqi news sources said Friday.

Iraqi armed forces have managed to retake some key areas in the Salahuddin province over the past days.

Early Sunday, Iraqi troops advanced into Dhuluiyah, north of Baghdad, and pushed IS militants out of the city’s military airport.

The most notable of the operations came in November when Iraqi forces retook the strategic town of Baiji and its refinery from the terrorists. The Iraqi army also managed to liberate key districts in the city of Samarra in early December.