were wounded by IS operatives after they attacked their positions in the Al-Fatah area of the Saladin Governorate. December 26 - 2 ISIS militants were killed after Iraqi forces ambushed them in the Tarfawi area, west of Kirkuk. 2022 January January 6 – 11 Islamic State militants were killed in several security operations throughout Iraq. January 16 – 4 civilians were abducted and executed by ISIL militants in the Qadiriyah area, south of Samarra. Another civilian was also abducted but later managed to escape after the militants believed he was dead after attempting to execute him. January 19 – 3 ISIL fighters were killed during an Iraqi army security operation in the Taji area near Baghdad. January 20–21 – In their deadliest operation against government forces in recent months, ISIL militants stormed an Iraqi army barracks in the al-Azim district north of Baqubah in Diyala Governorate, killing 11 Iraqi soldiers as they slept. The attack occurred "around 2:30 am against a base in the Hawi al-Azim area," according to an unidentified senior official. Provincial governor Muthanna al-Tamimi alleged that the jihadists "exploited the cold and the negligence of the soldiers," adding that the base was fortified and equipped with "a thermal camera, night vision goggles and a concrete watch-tower." The governor alleged that the attackers fled into Saladin Governorate. January 22 – 3 ISIL fighters were killed in an Iraqi airstrike that targeted a gathering of ISIL vehicles south of the ancient city of Hatra. January 23 – Iraqi security forces reportedly launched a large counter-terrorism operation from three directions against ISIL in north Diyala, including army and air force units and special operations personnel, with the assistance of local tribes and the PMF. January 27 – An IS Emir by the name of 'Hawi the Great' was killed in an Iraqi airstrike in the Hamrin hills, northeast of Baquba. February February 3 – An IS militant was killed and another was wounded in an Iraqi airstrike on their positions in the Salah al-Din Governorate. February 10 – 4 ISIL militants were killed during a clash with Iraqi army forces near the Al-Azim Dam north of Diyala. March March 8 – An Iraqi security checkpoint was attacked by ISIL snipers Abbar subdistrict, northeast of Baquba. One Iraqi service member was injured and later died of his wounds. March 9 – An IS operative was killed whilst trying to attack an