Federal Police announce liberation of IS’s holdout in north of Salahuddin
Federal Police Captain Raed Shaker Jawdat. Archival photo.
Lt. Gen. Shaker Jawdat, chief of Federal Police, said in a statement that “troops liberated the eastern side of Shirqat, concluding the third part of the third phase of operations to free Hawija.”
225 militants had been killed since the launch of operations in Shirqat, Jawdat previously announced.
In a previous statement, Jawdat said troops seized an IS prison with 14 prisoners inside, during operations to liberate south of the eastern side of Shirqat. Earlier on the day, Jawdat said troops became in control over 90 percent of the holdout.
On Thursday, Iraqi Prime Minister Haidar al-Abadi and the Joint Operations Command announced launch of first phase of operations to liberate Hawija and western Shirqat. Federal Police, Rapid Response and the pro-government Popular Mobilization Forces (PMF) are carrying out the attack, according to the command.
The Iraqi army said in September its forces recaptured the eastern coast of Shirqat, located south of Mosul, on the west bank of the Tigris river, after being surrounded for months by Iraqi troops and the pro-government Shi’ite militias. The western coast of Shirqat, is still under the IS control.