Mass grave of Islamic State militants found, west of Ramadi
Representational photo.
“Iraqi military troops ran into a mass grave containing relics of 20 bodies of Islamic State militants, who were killed during battles to liberate Ramadi,” Col. Alaa Fadel told DPA.
The mass grave, according to Fadel, “was found while Iraqi troops were combing abul Jir mountainous region, located west of al-Rahaliya, west of Ramadi.”
In late September, the militant group invaded al-Tash and the 5th Kilometer regions, south and west of Ramadi. The militants reportedly took over al-Tash and al-Jamea (university) areas after invading them with 20 pickup trucks, however, troops were able to repulse the attack.
Anbar’s western towns of Qaim and Rawa have been held by the extremist group since 2014, when it occupied one third of Iraq to proclaim a self-styled Islamic “Caliphate”. Iraqi troops were able to return life back to normal in the biggest cities of Anbar including Fallujah, Ramadi and others after recapturing them in 2015 and 2016.
Iraqi army announced the total recapture of the town of Annah, hours after recapturing neighboring Rayhana area, last month. Troops also liberated Akashat region, between Rutba town, on borders with Jordan, and Qaim, on borders with Syria.