500 Islamic State rockets, tunnels found in Tal Afar, Anbar
Baghdad (IraqiNews.com) Iraqi security forces on Thursday discovered underground tunnels and hundreds of rockets belonging to Islamic State militants as they combed areas recaptured from the militant group in Nineveh and Anbar.
Interior Ministry spokesman, Saad Maan, said in a press conference that troops found 500 rockets in the town of Tal Afar, west of Nineveh. He said most of those were prepared for drones.
Iraqi troops seized Tal Afar back from Islamic State militants in August.
Meanwhile, the army’s Anbar Operations Command said it uncovered three underground tunnels and a pickup truck belonging to the group south of the city of Haditha, Anbar.
The command’s chief, Mahmoud al-Falahi, was quoted by Alsumaria News saying that army and police forces also detonated 15 explosive devices in the city of Ramadi.
Iraqi troops retook the town of Rawa, west of Anbar, last month, marking the end of Islamic State’s territorial influence in Iraq.
Iraqi troops are currently working to purge Anbar’s joint desert with Nineveh and Salahuddin from the last militant vestiges.
Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi declared military victory over IS in mid November, but said overall victory would be announced after militants are eliminated from desert areas.