BAGHDAD - An Iraqi army officer and four soldiers were killed, and six others wounded on Monday in an attack by militants of the Islamic State group in Salahuddin province north of the capital Baghdad, a provincial police source said.

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The attack occurred in the evening when IS militants struck military outposts in the rugged Mteibijah area in the eastern part of the province, sparking a fierce clash between the two sides, Mohammed al-Bazi from the media office of the provincial police command told Xinhua.

The clash resulted in the killing of the commander of a regiment and four soldiers, as well as the wounding of six others, al-Bazi said, adding that there were no immediate reports about casualties among the attackers.

Also on Monday, the intelligence directorate affiliated with the Iraqi Defense Ministry announced in a statement the arrest of a "dangerous IS terrorist" in the town of Latifiya, some 40 km south of Baghdad, accusing him of carrying out attacks against civilians and security forces.

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