Iraqi forces killed 35 "Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant" (ISIL) elements in a a military operation that kicked off Sunday (April 23rd) to comb Anbar’s desert in search of ISIL pockets, the Iraqi Ministry of Defence said Monday.

"As part of a search operation in the western Anbar desert which kicked off Sunday in Makhazen Haditha, Houran Valley and south-west Kubaysa, our forces have killed 35 terrorists in co-operation with the international coalition," the ministry said in a statement.

"ISIL weapons caches, headquarters, vehicles packed with explosives and locally-made rocket launchers have also been destroyed in the operation," the statement said.

Meanwhile near the border with Jordan, an ambush by ISIL killed 10 members of the security forces on Sunday, AFP reported.

A local commander said the attackers were disguised as military and took advantage of a sandstorm to ambush a convoy near the town of Rutba, a remote outpost on the road to Jordan.

"ISIL members armed with assault rifles and rocket launchers attacked civilian and military vehicles carrying soldiers near Rutba," an army lieutenant colonel said.

"They killed at least 10 and wounded 20," he said. Other officials confirmed the attack and the casualty toll.

According to the mayor of Rutba, Imad al-Dulaimi, the ambush was carried out at around 6 p.m. in an area just east of Rutba on the main road from the provincial capital Ramadi.

He added that three more members of the security forces were missing and feared kidnapped.