Al-Hashd al-Shaabi targets IS militants gathering west of Mosul

Mosul (IraqiNews.com) Al-Hashd al-Shaabi troops targeted on Sunday a gathering for Islamic State militants in western Mosul.

“The missile battery of the troops targeted al-Bosheika region, west of Mosul,” according to the media service. The attack made IS members to escape the region.

In related news, an airstrike exploded a booby trapped motorbike in western Mosul.

According to the media service, the motorbike was located in Okaidat region, west of Mosul.

Mosul is the Islamic State’s strongest stronghold in Iraq. Eastern Mosul was recaptured from IS in January, after a US-backed offensive was launched in October. A new offensive started in February to retake the west. The government troops have recently pushed deeper into the Old City, a densely-populated and -structured area which military officials view as central to the desired victory over IS

Battles in the west are believed to be much more difficult due to the density of residential areas and the high number of civilians who the commanders believe are used as human shields by IS members.

Al-Hashd al-Shaabi, also known as Popular Mobilization Forces (PMF) is considered one of the largest militias in Iraq. It was established in 2014 by a fatwa (religious edict) to fight the Islamic State.

In late 2016, the Iraqi parliament recognized the militia as a national armed force.