Islamic State militants killed by paramilitary troops in Hamreen mountains
Iraqi government forces in Hamreen Mountains in Diyala.
“Troops of the 88th of al-Hashd al-Shaabi {Popular Mobilization Forces) destroyed on Tuesday two vehicles loaded with weapons for IS militant in Hamreen mountains,” the media service of the forces said in a statement.
“Troops managed to kill the militants who were on board the vehicles,” the statement added without clarifying the number of militants killed.
On Monday, two IS members were killed as the forces carried out a wide- scale campaign in Hamreen mountains.
In October, Iraqi army’s ninth armored division and PMFs announced imposing full control on Hamreen mountains, northeastern Iraq.
Iraqi Prime Minister Haidar al-Abadi announced, earlier this month, full liberation of Iraqi lands, declaring end of war against IS members.
Thousands of IS militants as well as Iraqi civilians were killed since the government campaign, backed by paramilitary troops and the coalition was launched in October 2016 to fight the militant group, which declared a self-styled “caliphate” from Mosul in June 2014. Since then, forces took back the group’s former capital, Mosul, the town of Tal Afar, Kirkuk’s Hawija, and each of Annah, Rawa and Qaim in Anbar.
The war against IS has displaced nearly five million people, with tens of thousands of civilians and militants killed since the launch of the offensives to recapture occupied cities.