Baghdad, Aug 16 (IANS): Seven senior members of the Islamic State (IS) terror group were arrested by Iraqi forces in the northern province of Nineveh, the military said.

Based on intelligence reports, a force from the Iraqi National Intelligence Service (INIS) carried out an operation in the provincial capital Mosul, some 400 km north of Baghdad, arresting the seven IS members, a statement by the media office of the Iraqi Joint Operations Command (JOC) said on Sunday.

The arrested militants confessed their involvement in the terrorist group in Nineveh province, Xinhua news agency quoted the statement as saying.

The Iraqi forces recently intensified their operations against the extremist IS group as part of their efforts to provide a safe environment ahead of the country's parliamentary elections slated for October 10.

The security situation in Iraq has been improving since the security forces defeated the IS militants in 2017.

However, IS remnants have since retreated to deserts and rugged areas, carrying out frequent guerilla attacks against security forces and civilians.