Iraqi Ministry of Defense announced that the army had killed 43 Islamic State (IS) militants in Mosul and Anbar provinces, Al Bawaba News reported Saturday. The Ministry said that the army killed 40 IS militants and defused 84 improvised explosive devices as well as destroying four vehicles and nine terrorist outposts in Mosul. Mosul is Iraq's second largest city, currently the largest city under IS control. The Ministry added that Anbar operations command killed three IS militants and destroyed a car bomb. Since 2014, Anbar has witnessed fierce clashes between Iraqi military forces and IS militants, who seized control of the province.