TIKRIT, Iraq, Jan. 29 -- Islamic State (IS) militants Thursday blew up nine luxurious palaces of former Iraqi leader Saddam Hussein in his hometown of Tikrit, a security source said.

The militants planted bombs in the palaces and detonated them, the source told Xinhua on condition of anonymity.

There were a total of 76 palaces, smaller villas, artificial lakes and date orchards, most of which were built by the Tigris River, stretching from northern Tikrit, some 170 km north of the Iraqi capital of Baghdad, to Saddam's village of Awja, some 12 km south of the city.

After the U.S.-led invasion in 2003, occupation forces operated from former presidential sites before they handed them over to Iraqi authorities who then used them as government headquarters and military bases.