Four Islamic State militants killed as Iraq renews shelling of Syrian targets
Iraqi security forces arrest a suspected member of the Islamic State group
Baghdad (Iraqinews.com) – Four Islamic State (IS) militants were killed Sunday in a shelling by pro-government forces of al-Hashd al-Shaabi (Popular Mobilization Forces) inside the Syrian territories, the troops’ media center was quoted as saying.
“The 28th brigade of al-Hashd al-Shaabi destroyed a hotbed of the Islamic State group at the eastern village of al-Dahhaj in Syria,” Knooz Media quoted the center as saying in a statement.
“The shelling left four Islamic State militants dead and several others injured,” the statement read. “The militant group also sustained severe losses as a result of the attack.”
Earlier in the day, Iraqi warplanes launched a new wave of air raids against outposts of the Islamic State group in neighboring Syria, the latest in a series of airstrikes aimed at eliminating a terrorist threat coming from the neighboring country.
Today’s air raids were launched upon directives of Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi with the aim of targeting Islamic State leaders in the group’s stronghold of al-Deshisha on the Iraqi-Syrian border.
The U.S.-led international coalition announced on Monday the end of its combat operations against Islamic State in Iraq and deactivation of its land forces command headquarters.
In a statement on its official website, the international coalition said, “Combined Joint Forces Land Component Command (CJFLCC) Headquarters was deactivated today at a ceremony in Baghdad,” signifying the end of major combat operations against IS in Iraq and acknowledging the changing composition and responsibilities of the coalition.