Over 170 villages between Nineveh, Anbar combed: Military
Iraqi army forces in Tal Afar.
“Army, Federal Police and al-Hashd al-Shaabi (Popular Mobilization Forces), backed by military jets, concluded the first part of second phase of the operations,” the War Media Cell said in a statement. “Troops managed to comb the villages and regions falling between south of Hatra and north of Rawa.”
“Our forces were able to comb 175 villages, five bridges and crossings as well as an airport on an area of 14,100 square kilometers,” it said, adding that “huge losses in equipments were inflicted.”
Moreover, Lt. Gen. Abdul Amir Yarallah announced combing four villages in north of Rawa on an area of 740 square kilometers.
In a statement, Yarallah said, “troops combed villages of al-Hamima, Leheiji, al-Beghelein and Aluta, northeast of Rawa.”
Combing operations are still ongoing, he added.
The Joint Operations Command announced on Saturday that only fifty percent of the regions between Salahuddin and Anbar provinces were liberated. At least 15 Islamic State members were killed in airstrike by the U.S.-led Coalition jets in the western desert, the War Media Cell said in a statement.
Last week, Iraqi Prime Minister Haidar al-Abadi said his country defeated Islamic State over the military level, but will declare final victory after desert areas are purged of militants.