Coalition kills 21 Islamic State militants in western Anbar

Anbar (IraqiNews.com) Twenty-one militants of Islamic State were killed as three rest houses of the group were destroyed, west of Anbar province, a military source said.

“The U.S.-led coalition jets shelled three rest houses of IS in the town of Rawa, 230 KM west of Ramadi,” the source told AlSumaria News on Sunday.

Speaking on condition of anonymity, the source said, “21 members of IS, including leaders, were killed, while the rest houses were destroyed as a result of the shelling.”

Several military operations were launched over the past few days to comb desert regions in the province, killing dozens of militants.

Last week, additional U.S. forces reportedly arrived to a military base in Anbar to take part in the security campaign against IS militants.

In March, reports indicated possible joint operations by the Iraqi and U.S. forces to clear IS-held towns of Annah, Rawa and Qaim near the borders with Syria .

Rawa is an IS stronghold that has been held by the militants along with Annah and Qaim since 2014, when the group proclaimed its self-styled ‘Islamic State’.

Islamic State is believed to be holding thousands in some western regions in Anbar to use them as human shields against any future security offensive.

Fighter jets from the Iraqi army and the international coalition have also regularly pounded IS locations in the province.