Baghdad, June 11 (IANS): The Iraqi National Security Service (INSS) said on Tuesday that its forces killed a senior Islamic State (IS) militant in an operation inside the Syrian territory.

Acting on intelligence reports and coordinating with the international coalition, the INSS forces clashed with a militant nicknamed Abu Zainab and killed him after having surrounded him in the past days in the Syrian al-Raqqa province, the INSS said in a statement, Xinhua News Agency reported.

Abu Zainab worked in various areas, especially in the desert areas near the towns of al-Seneia in Salahudin province and al-Baaj in Nineveh province, the statement said.

He also participated in many attacks on the Iraqi security forces and was responsible for smuggling weapons and fighters between Iraq and Syria, it added.

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