Aerial bombardment targets IS locations between Diyala-Salahuddin
Danish F-16 during an air strike against ISIS sites in Iraq. Archival photo.
“Aerial shelling targeted IS locations in Mutaibija basin, on borders between Diyala and Salahuddin, amid news of casualties among the enemy,” Abdul Khaliq Medhat told AlSumaria News.
“The frequent shelling of IS gatherings and rest houses in Mutaibija contributed to reducing risks of the militant group against nearby regions, including Hawi al-Udhaim in Diyala,” Medhat added.
Mutaibija has complicated terrain, with numerous hills that serve as a good hideout for militants. Occasional attacks have been witnessed there by Islamic State against government and paramilitary troops deployments since Iraqi forces, backed by a U.S.-led coalition and PMUs, launched a major offensive to retake areas occupied by IS since 2014.
Iraqi Prime Minister Haidar al-Abadi and the Joint Operations Command declared in September the launch of first phase of operations to liberate Hawija and eastern Shirqat, located north of Salahuddin.
The Iraqi army said in September 2016 its forces recaptured the western 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.