Baghdad, Mar 31 (IANS): Three Islamic State (IS) militants were killed in an airstrike in Iraq's eastern province of Diyala, a security source said.

Based on intelligence reports, Iraqi warplanes carried out an airstrike on an IS hideout in the Himreen mountain range in northern Diyala on Thursday, destroying the hideout and killing three IS militants, Ali Fadhel Omran, commander of Diyala Operations, told Xinhua news agency.

Omran added that a total of 40 IS militants, including some leaders of the terrorist organisation, were killed during the past five months in airstrikes in the Himreen Mountains.

Despite repeated military operations against IS remnants, extremist militants are still hiding in deserts and rugged areas, as well as in the Himreen mountains, in the Diyala, Salahuddin and Kirkuk provinces.

The security situation in Iraq has improved since the defeat of the IS in 2017. However, IS remnants have since melted into urban centers, deserts and rugged areas, carrying out frequent guerilla attacks against security forces and civilians.