Iraqi army destroys underground caravans of Islamic State in Mosul

Nineveh (IraqiNews.com) – The Iraqi army found on Saturday underground caravans that were used by Islam State militants in Mosul city.

In a statement, a copy of which was obtained by Almaalomah news agency, the Iraqi defense ministry said that the seized caravans were used for storing foodstuffs and ammunition of Islamic State in Mosul.

All the caravans were destroyed on site, the statement added.

Iraq declared the collapse of Islamic State’s territorial influence in November 2017 with the recapture of Rawa, a city on Anbar’s western borders with Syria, which was the group’s last bastion in Iraq.

IS declared a self-styled “caliphate” in a third of Iraq and neighboring Syria in 2014. A government campaign, backed by a U.S.-led international coalition and paramilitary forces, was launched in 2016 to retake IS-held regions, managing to retake all havens, most notably the city of Mosul, the group’s previously proclaimed capital.

Former Iraqi prime minister Haider al-Abadi declared the end of military operations against Islamic State in Iraq on December 9, 2017 three years after the militant group captured about a third of Iraq’s territory. On July 10 that year, the former premier had formally declared victory over Islamic State extremists in Mosul, which served as the terrorists’ main urban stronghold.