"The brave security forces were able to liberate the area of al-Haroniya Bridge as they are going on liberating the other areas in Diyala province,” Atta said at the press conference that he held in Baghdad on Tuesday, Alforat News Agency reported.

Meanwhile, Iraq’s counter-terrorism forces killed several terrorists affiliated to the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant in Tikrit.

"The counter-terrorism dept. clashed with the ISIL terrorists, who attacked the military checkpoints in Tikrit, and killed many of them and burnt five of their vehicles,” a source said.

Swedish Ambassador to Baghdad Jorgen Lindstrom stressed his government’s support for the efforts of the Iraqi government in its war against terrorism.

Undersecretary for Bilateral Relations Nizar Al Khairullah met the Swedish ambassador to Baghdad, Jorgen Lindstrom.

"During the meeting, the two officials discussed bilateral relations and ways of enhancing the economic cooperation between them, particularly the investment side in light of the presence of many Swedish companies operating in Iraq,” a statement by the Iraqi Ministry of Foreign Affairs cited, Alforat News Agency reported.

"The two sides reviewed the latest political and security developments in Iraq and the democratic process outcomes which resulted in the election of the Parliament Speaker and his two deputies,” the statement continued.

"For his part, the Swedish ambassador stressed his government’s support for the efforts of the Iraqi government in its war against terrorist gangs and their inhumane practices against the Iraqi people,” the statement concluded.