The Iraqi Interior Ministry on Tuesday denied information about the nine officers who had reportedly been taken hostage by militants of the IS terror group (outlawed in many countries) in Mosul.

Axar.az reports that on Monday, media reported that nine Iraqi officers, including a police colonel, were taken hostage by militants in Mosul. The report cited an unnamed Iraqi Interior Ministry official.

"The Ministry of Interior denies the widespread information about the capture of several police officers during the ongoing clashes in Mosul. This is not true," Saad Maan, the ministry’s spokesman, said, as quoted by Alsumaria news channel.

IS terrorists took over Mosul in June 2014. The eastern part of the city was liberated by Iraqi and US-led coalition forces in late January. In February, the operation aimed at liberating western Mosul from IS was launched by the Iraqi forces. On February 24, Iraqi troops liberated a village to the southeast of Mosul, entered through residential quarters in the west of the city and took control of the airport.