ISIL Governor Killed in Southern Iraq

(FNA)- Iraq's security forces killed over a dozen militants of the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant, including an ISIL governor, in the Southern parts of the country on Saturday.

Hazem Al-Saeedi, who called himself governor of Southern Iraq, was killed along with 12 other militants in Jarf Al-Sekhar region.

Al-Saeedi had been in charge of terrorist operations in Latifi, Yousefiyeh and Northern parts of Babel province.

The Iraqi security forces also killed over 35 other ISIL terrorists in Babel province on Saturday morning.

During the operation earlier today, more than 35 ISIL members were killed and three arms depots were seized from them in Babel province.

"The Iraqi security forces have killed 35 ISIL members in al-Saeedat and al-Roubaiya regions, 9 of whom were the ringleaders of the terrorist group and were Saudi, Pakistani and Syrian nationals," an informed source said on Saturday.

The source said that the Iraqi police have also seized the weapons stored in three large depots belonging to the ISIL in the region and destroyed a workshop used for making bombs.

According to the report, the security forces are now in full control over Jarf al-Sekhar region and have repeatedly ambushed the terrorists who aimed to sneak into the area.

The ISIL terrorists launched their offensive by seizing the North's main city, Mosul, earlier this month and have swept through the Tigris river valley, North of Baghdad. They have boasted of massacring hundreds of troops and civilians, including women and children, captured in their advance.

The terrorists have been joined by other factions, including former members of ousted dictator Saddam Hussein's Baath Party.

On Wednesday, Iraqi Energy Minister Hussein al-Shahristani said more than 2 million Iraqis have volunteered to fight against militants from the ISIL.

The government has no capacity to process any more volunteers, he added.

"No one knows when this battle will end, but we will win it," al-Shahristani insisted.