Security operation carried out to secure Iraqi-Syrian borders: Commander
An Iraqi border sign in Anbar.
“Security troops of Jazeera Operations Command, army and border guards, backed by tribal fighters, carried out a military operation from four sides including Qaim, Rawa, Rutba and al-Waleed region to secure the Iraqi-Syrian borders and the western desert,” Maj. Gen. Qassim al-Muhammadi, the commander, told BasNews.
The security operation, according to Muhammadi, “seeks eliminating presence of Islamic State cells, along with destroying tunnels and hideouts that could be used by the militants.”
Thousands of Islamic State 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.
The Iraqi-Syrian borders are under the control of joint troops of military and border guards.
Iraqi warplanes launched, in May, a new wave of air raids against outposts of the Islamic State group in Syria.
In April, Abadi denied intentions to intervene within Syrian affairs, saying airstrikes against Islamic State will continue.
Iraq had previously announced launching airstrikes against IS locations in Syria. This came after Abadi said security troops will follow IS militants in the whole region, not only in Iraq.