Iraqi army, backed by pro-gov’t troops, kill six IS insurgents in Mosul
Iraqi security forces arrest a suspected member of the Islamic State group in Iraq. File photo
Nineveh (Iraqinews.com) – The Iraqi army, backed by pro-government troops, killed on Monday six Islamic State (IS) militants at a village in southern Mosul, a military source was quoted as saying.
Speaking to Alghad Press, the source said, “Iraqi servicemen, backed by al-Hashd al-Shaabi (Popular Mobilization Forces), stormed Hawija al-Marir village in southern Mosul after receiving reports on the presence of IS insurgents there.”
“Six IS militants and two troops of al-Hashd al-Shaabi were killed in the clashes that erupted between the two sides at the village,” the source said, adding that the village is now under the control of Iraqi troops.
Iraq declared victory over Islamic State in December with the help of a US-led alliance, having retaken all the territory captured by the extremists in 2014 and 2015.
Despite the group’s defeat at its main havens across Iraqi provinces, isolated cells believed to be linked to the Islamic State remain active in some parts of the country.
The Islamic State group appeared on the international scene in 2014 when it seized large swathes of territory in Iraq and Syria, declaring the establishment of an Islamic “caliphate” from Mosul city.
Later on, the group has become notorious for its brutality, including mass killings, abductions and beheadings, prompting the U.S. to lead an international coalition to destroy it.