Iraq News Today: U.S. artillery pound Islamic State locations in Anbar
U.S. soldiers from the 2nd Brigade, 82nd Airborne Division gather around an artillery at a military base north of Mosul, Iraq, February 14, 2017. REUTERS/Khalid al Mousily
Annah (IraqiNews.com) Iraq News Today: United States artillery forces bombarded Islamic State militants locations in western Anbar on Monday as military mobilizations signal an imminent offensive targeting the region.
A security source told Alghad Press that U.S. artillery pounded IS locations in Annah, Rawa and Raihaneh, adding that Iraqi security forces were moving towards the latter to recapture it.
“U.S artillery forces are currently stationed near the resistance line in al-Sakra to back up military troops in the liberation of western regions,” the source told the website.
The United States has been leading an international military coalition that backed Iraqi forces in its campaign to recapture Islamic State-held areas since 2014.
Iraq News
Islamic State militants have held the towns of Annah, Rawa and Qaim, on Anbar’s western borders with Syria, since 2014, holding thousands of civilians there. Security reinforcements have reportedly been sent recently near those towns preparing for an attack against the group.
On Saturday, Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi issued a statement congratulating the nation for the recapture of Akashat region, west of Anbar, in a “snap operation” which he said left hundreds of militants dead.
While the Iraqi government said late August that its next target of anti-IS military action was Kirkuk’s Hawija, some officials were quoted saying that parallel operations in western Anbar could also be carried out.