"Al-Malah, senior ISIS commander, and his companion were killed by the Iraqi forces in Diyala province on Saturday," the Arabic-language media quoted an unnamed security sources as saying on Sunday.
He reiterated that Al-Malah and one of his men were killed near Hamreen lake located 58 kilometers to the Northeast of Baquba while their boat was also destroyed.
"Al-Malah was important because he was responsible for the direct transfer of the suicide bombers and explosives between the two flanks on the banks of Hamreen lake for the ISIL terrorist group," the source added.
The ISIL terrorist group has stirred up violence in the areas near Hamreen lake.
Meantime, the Iraqi forces pushed back the ISIS terrorists who were trying to penetrate into Jabal Mahkoul region in Northern Salahuddin province, killing at least 20 of them.
The Iraqi government troops also destroyed two ISIL's military vehicles.
Iraq's joint military forces continued their advances in Mosul and near the city in Nineveh province, and took control of more lands back from ISIL.
The Iraqi popular forces and Federal Police in a joint operation seized back the village of Shokran West of the Mosul city.
A large number of ISIL terrorists were killed in fierce clashes with the Iraqi forces near Shokran village.
Meantime, Iraq's joint military forces won back al-Arkoub district in the Eastern part of Mosul city.
The Iraqi counterterrorism command headquarters in a statement announced that the Iraqi forces have purged terrorists from the Northern parts of al-Hodaba district.
The Iraqi forces inflicted heavy losses on the ISIL terrorist group.
In relevant remarks on Saturday, Spokesman of Iraq's Counterterrorism Department Sabah al-Nauman disclosed that the country's joint military forces have seized back several new areas in the early stages of the second phase of the Mosul Liberation Military Operation.
"The ISIL's defense lines in the Western part of the city of Mosul have been demolished and new areas have come under our forces' control in the beginning of the second phase of Mosul liberation operation," al-Nauman told FNA.
He underlined that the main aim of the second phase of the Mosul liberation operation is to take full control of the remaining districts of Western Mosul.
Also on Saturday, Iraq's joint military forces continued their advances in the Eastern part of the city of Mosul, and seized back a new strategic district there.
The Iraqi forces took full control of the ISIL-controlled al-Qods al-Sanieh district in Eastern Mosul city.
Several terrorists were killed and wounded in fierce clashes with the Iraqi army and its allies.
Meantime, the Iraqi forces advanced further into Sumer and Jadideh al-Mufti districts in Eastern Mosul, killing 25 ISIL terrorists in tough battle.
Also on Saturday, Iraqi Federal Police Commander Major General Raed Shaker Judat announced that several more ISIL terrorists, including four senior commanders, have been killed in fierce clashes with the country's joint military forces.
"At least 10 ISIL terrorists, including four notorious commanders, were killed in tough battle with the Iraqi government forces," the Arabic-language media quoted General Judat as saying.
He, meantime, said that the Iraqi forces continued their advances in the city of Mosul, adding, "Over 66 ISIL terrorists have been killed in the Iraqi Federal police's military operations."
General Judat also said that hundreds of families in Mosul city have been transferred to military camps from al-Entesar and Shahrzad districts of the city.
On Thursday, the Iraqi security forces began the second phase of the Mosul operation in a number of Eastern and Southeastern districts of Mosul city, following a major halt of the offensive for much of December.
Iraqi Federal police initiated the advance on the districts of Somar, Saha, Intisar, and the industrial area on the left bank of Mosul, General Yahya Rasul, the spokesperson for the Iraqi Joint Command said, Baghdad Post quoted security officials as saying.
Also, Abdul-Ghani Al-Asadi, commander of the Iraqi Counterterrorism Forces (ICTF) told Iraqi media that the fresh offensive begun at 7:00 am on Thursday.
He said his forces have entered the eastern district of al-Quds, and made “progress” in the early hours on Thursday morning.
A military statement for the Nineveh operation said that the Iraqi army, the federal police and the ICTF are taking part in a joint operation to “fully liberate the left bank of Mosul”.
An officer from the rapid response forces told Reuters news agency that they are pushing from the Southeastern district of Intisar.
"Our troops now are advancing. In the first five or 10 minutes they took 500 meters. Just now they are starting to shoot," the rapid response officer said, an elite force under the command of the Iraqi interior ministry.
The commander of the Golden Division, Fazil Barwari, earlier told Rudaw that he expects to liberate the East side of the city by New Year ’s Eve, FNA reported.
219