Military operation launched to pursuit Islamic State in Diyala province
Representational photo
Diyala (Iraqinews.com) – A wide-scale military operation was launched on Monday to pursuit Islamic State at al-Nada area in Diyala, a military commander said.
Speaking to Alghad Press, Tigris Operations Commander Lt. Gen. Mozher al-Azzawi said, “Joint troops, backed by Iraqi Air Force and Popular Mobilization Forces, launched in the wee hours of Monday a wide-scale military operation from two axes, targeting Islamic State hotbeds at al-Nada area in Diyala.”
Azzawi added that the intelligence-based operation comes as part of the command’s strategy to eliminate Islamic State throughout the province. “The operation was launched upon accurate intelligence reports,” he pointed out.
On Sunday, Popular Mobilization Forces killed 13 Islamic State militants and destroyed five of their hotbeds in a security campaign in northeastern Diyala.
The troops also seized an arms depot for the terrorist group in Diyala as well.
Thousands of IS militants as well as Iraqi civilians were killed since a government campaign, backed by paramilitary troops and a U.S.-led international 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 so far displaced at least five million people. Thousands others fled toward neighboring countries including Syria, Turkey and other European countries.