Iraqi armed forces have purged an area near the holy city of Samarra in Salahuddin province from Takfiri ISIL terrorists after engaging the foreign-backed militant in fierce battle.
The Iraqi Defense Ministry released a video on Friday that showed military vehicles driving along the main road between the capital Baghdad and Samarra.
A large number of ISIL terrorists were reportedly killed during the operation while many of them fled area.
Earlier in the day, the Iraqi forces made gains near the northern city of Tikrit.
On June 10, Takfiri terrorists took control of the Nineveh provincial capital Mosul, in a massive attack, which was followed by the fall of Tikrit, located 140 kilometers (87 miles) northwest of Baghdad.
The ISIL has vowed to continue its raid towards Baghdad. Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki, however, insists that the country’s security forces would confront the terrorists, calling the seizure of Mosul a “conspiracy."
Soldiers of the Iraqi army have been engaged in heavy fighting with the militants in different fronts and have so far been able to push back militants in several areas.
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