ISIS leader, Abu Omar al-Aafari, killed west of Mosul
Soldiers of al-Hashd al-Shaabi.
“In light of the crackdown on IS militants and as the launch of military operations to liberate Tel Afar near, received information indicated moves by IS toward Baaj, the only exit linking Syrian borders to Al-Jazeera desert,” Qassim Musleh, commander of al-Tufuf brigade said.
Earlier on Sunday, Kurdistan Region’s Directorate of Counter-Terrorism (CTD) declared killing of Islamic State’s education department official Ali Reda Mahmoud on Saturday in an airstrike by the international coalition jets in Tal Afar.
The group has sustained severe losses in personnel and ground since an offensive was launched in mid October to retake Mosul, the second-largest Iraqi city and the militants’ last urban stronghold in the country. The U.S.-led coalition had estimated the number of remaining IS militants in Mosul by less than 1000.
In February, an offensive was launched by Iraqi troops, backed by the international coalition and PMUs, to retake western Mosul from IS. Eastern Mosul was recaptured in January after three months of battles.
Iraqi troops currently control 4000 kilometers of the city, the U.S. State Department tweeted on Friday.