The Iraqi Armed Forces scored another major victory against the Islamic State this week, as their troops eliminated a group of militants that launched a big attack in the Salaheddine, Al-Masdar News reports.

According to a military communique from Baghdad, the Iraqi Armed Forces came under a heavy attack from an Islamic State group at the Alas Oilfield on Sunday, March 24 evening.

The Iraqi Armed Forces engaged in fierce combat for a number of hours with the militant combatants at the Alas Oilfield before they were able to eliminate many of the Islamic State fighters.

“They retreated to an unknown place taking back the wounded with them,” the North Oil Police forces said in a statement on Monday.

The attack by the Islamic State reportedly came from one of their sleeper cells that is currently active inside the Salaheddine Governorate.

In 2017, the Iraqi Armed Forces declared that the Salaheddine Governorate was liberated after a long battle with the Islamic State militants near the Baiji Refinery.

However, Islamic State sleeper cells have since emerged in the Salaheddine Governorate after their defeat at the hands of the Iraqi Armed Forces.