21 IS militants killed in clashes in Iraq

Iraqi security forces killed 21 Islamic State (IS) militants in security operations in the provinces of Salahuddin and Anbar, defense ministry said on Saturday.

The security forces launched a number of military operations in the areas to the north and south of province's capital of Tikrit, killing 15 IS militants and destroyed vehicles carrying machine guns belonged to the militants, the ministry said in a statement.

Meanwhile, a security source in Anbar province in western Iraq told Xinhua that Iraqi security forces killed six IS militants and wounded 11 others in clashes in the suburbs area the city of Fallujah, the second largest city in the province.

Earlier on Saturday, the defense ministry announced that its troops retook three villages in Anbar province from the control of the extremist organization.

In a separate attack, three civilians were killed and 18 others wounded on Saturday when a booby-trapped motorbike exploded near a popular market east of the Iraqi capital Baghdad, security source said.

A source in the Iraqi Interior Ministry confirmed with Xinhua that a booby-trapped motorbike exploded near Maridi market in eastern Baghdad's Sadr City, killing three civilians and wounding 18 others.

Security in Iraq has drastically deteriorated since June 10, 2014 when clashes broke out between Iraqi security forces and Sunni militants. The latter next took control of the city of Mosul and seized a swath of territories in Nineveh and other Sunni provinces. Endit