Iraqi forces have killed 10 "Islamic State of Iraq and Syria" (ISIS) elements who were hiding in a cave south of Mosul, the Ninawa police command said Monday (August 27th).

"A special operations force from the 1st rapid response regiment (SWAT) on Saturday launched a surprise attack on an ISIS hideout in al-Shora, south of Mosul, in al-Maghr area," said Ninawa police media director Lt. Col. Mazen al-Ahmadi.

"The attack targeted a seven-kilometre long, naturally-occurring cave where several ISIS elements who had fled security crackdowns were barricaded," he told Diyaruna.

"The terrorists thought they were safe and that nobody would find them at that remote site," he said. "But our intelligence sources were able to track them down, uncover their hideout and target them in a high-level operation supported by international coalition warplanes."

Following the operation, security forces combed the cave to make sure no other militants, weapons or explosives were inside. They then blocked the passages leading to it in order to prevent more ISIS elements from hiding there.

The operation is part of "exceptional efforts" by the police command to crack down on ISIS remnants who are trying to hide from security and intelligence agencies in Ninawa, al-Ahmadi said.

"Our efforts are ongoing, and we will not settle until we eliminate all ISIS remnants and sleeper cells," he said.

Ninawa police on Saturday arrested five ISIS elements hiding among civilians after raiding their hideouts in al-Teseen and al-Darkazlia neighbourhoods in eastern Mosul.

The detainees, for whom arrest warrants had been issued for terrorism-related charges, served as part of ISIS's "hesba" (religious police) and "security" offices during the group’s control of Mosul.