Joint Iraqi army and police forces mounted a security operation in north-east Diyala on Monday (January 30th), which resulted in the destruction of three "Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant" (ISIL) safe houses, the police command in the eastern Iraqi province said.
"Joint security forces have carried out a large-scale security operation in the Hamreen mountain chain in al-Wadi al-Hadidi, Wadi Thelab, and Imam Wais hills, that led to the discovery and destruction of three ISIL safe-houses," according to a Diyala police statement.
"Motorcycles were for the first time used in the operation due to the nature of the geography and the many rugged valleys in the area," the statement said.
"Intelligence revealed that there is a number of ISIL leaders in these areas, especially after they had fled Mosul following the military offensive there," it said.
