(MENAFN) A provincial security source declared that the governor of Salahudin Province survived a landmine blast in central Iraq.

Mohammed Khalil al-Bazi from Salahudin Operations Command confirmed that the explosion occurred close to the convoy of Ammar Jabur Khalil, governor of Salahudin, during his visit to al-Seniyah town in the north of the oil refinery town of Baiji, some 200 km north of Iraq's capital Baghdad.

Bazi added that the blast injured two bodyguards of the governor and severely damaged a vehicle in the convoy.

Meanwhile, a joint army and police force launched an operation targeting an IS hideout in Tulul al-Baj area near al-Seniyah and left three IS militants dead.

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