Iraqi forces kill ISIS self-proclaimed governor, his aide in northeast of Tikrit

A self-proclaimed governor of the ISIL group (also known as Daesh) in two areas in Iraq’s restive province of Salahuddin has been killed in a military operation in the recently liberated city of Tikrit, security sources say.
An Iraqi security source, speaking on condition of anonymity, saying that the ISIL self-declared governor of al-Hajaj and Albu-Tema areas, known as Abu Maria, was killed near the area of Ajil oilfield in the northeastern part of Tikrit on Sunday.
A key assistant of Abu Maria was also killed in the operation by the Omaya al-Jabbara Battalion, the source said, adding, “The terrorists were heading towards the district of al-Hawija.”
“The operation was based on intelligence received from the residents of the local area near Ajil field,” Iraqi News quoted also cited the source as saying.
Iraqi security forces engaged members of the ISIL militant group during two separate operations north of Tikrit on April 7, killing a total of 43 terrorists in the process.
On March 31, Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi said government forces, supported by Shia and Sunni volunteer fighters, had wrested control of Tikrit, located 140 kilometers (86 miles) northwest of the capital, Baghdad, from ISIL extremists.