BAGHDAD, Nov. 6 (Xinhua) -- Iraqi security forces Wednesday killed three Islamic State (IS) militants, including one prominent IS leader, in a military operation in Iraq's eastern province of Diyala, a security source said.

Based on intelligence information, Iraqi security forces carried out artillery shells against an IS hideout in a village, some 60 km north of Diyala's capital city of Baquba, Alaa Alsady, a police officer from Diyala province told Xinhua, adding the bombing killed the IS leader and his two companions.

A joint force of the Iraqi army, police and paramilitary Hashd Shaabi units has been conducting search operations to track down the remnants in the northeast of the province.

The security situation in Iraq was dramatically improved after Iraqi security forces fully defeated the extremist IS militants across the country late in 2017.

IS remnants, however, have since melted in urban areas or resorted to deserts and rugged areas as safe havens, carrying out frequent guerilla attacks against security forces and civilians.