The troops will continue the operation in the coming days until they clear all IS remnants from the region. Dozens of IS militants fled their former bases in Salahudin province and Hawijah area in west of Kirkuk following anti-IS offensives in the past few months.

Last Saturday, Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi officially declared full liberation of Iraq from IS militants after Iraqi forces recaptured all the areas once seized by the extremist group. However, small groups of IS militants resorted to deserts and rugged areas looking for safe havens.