Iraqi officials have confirmed the death of a key aide to the Daesh, or ISIL, group leader and one of his military chiefs in the US-led coalition airstrikes in northern Iraq.
The airstrikes killed a confidante of Ibrahim Samarrai, who is known by the alias Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, and one of his military chiefs. A third militant, described as a mid-level leader, was also killed in the airstrikes.
Iraqi officials also said that their operations are beginning to weaken the terrorist group's leadership structure in Iraq.
Earlier, US officials also confirmed that two senior ISIL leaders were killed in coalition airstrikes in north of Iraq.
The Daesh militants, who have seized swathes of land in Iraq, have been carrying out horrific acts of violence against all communities in the Arab country.
The US-led coalition began targeting positions held by the ISIL terrorists in Iraq in August but the raids have so far failed to dislodge the Daesh.
On Thursday, Iraqi Prime Minister Haidar al-Abadi said that the Iraqi security forces have succeeded to push away ISIL militants in several provinces but called on the international community to work closer with Baghdad in the fight against the terrorist group.
