Army airstrike kill IS militants, destroy vehicles in western Anbar
Iraqi fighter jet file photo.
“Iraqi jets managed to shell seven vehicles of IS in desert of Wadi al-Qathf, south of Rutba, leaving them totally destroyed and several militants inside them killed,” the source told AlSumaria News.
Speaking on condition of anonymity, the source added, “the operation was carried out while Maj.Gen. Mahmoud al-Falahi, Anbar Operations Commander, was on a mission in the western desert looking for hiding militants.”
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.
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 army announced the total recapture of the town of Annah and neighboring Rayhana area last month. Troops also liberated Akashat region, between Rutba town, on borders with Jordan, and Qaim, on borders with Syria.