BAGHDAD
At least 40 militants from the Al-Qaeda-linked Islamic State in Iraq and Levant (ISIL) were killed in an airstrike in Iraq's western city of Fallujah, the Defense Ministry said.
In a Friday statement, the ministry said the militants had been killed in two military operations in two areas of the city.
There was no comment from the ISIL.
Fallujah and Ramadi, the two main cities of Iraq's predominantly-Sunni Anbar province, were shaken by violence late December between government troops and armed tribesmen.
Fighting erupted when Iraqi security forces dismantled a months-long anti-government sit-in outside Ramadi.
The sit-in was meant to protest perceived anti-Sunni discrimination by the Shiite-dominated government of Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki.
The Iraqi government says its military operations in the province target the Al-Qaeda-allied ISIL.
But local Sunni tribes, which deny any links to the militant group, voice anger over continued civilian causalities and have vowed to resist government troops deployed to the area.
By Sawsan al-Qaiysi
englishnews@aa.com.tr
