Iraqi jets kill IS militants planning for terrorism in Karbala, west of Anbar
Iraqi Sukhoi fighter jets. File photo.
In a statement on Friday, the Defense Ministry’s War Media Cell said, “based on information from the military intelligence department, the air force carried out airstrike, which destroyed camp of the terrorist abu Saleh Askari of the State of the South, in the desert in west of Rutba.”
“The air raid killed the militants who were inside the camp and burnt their vehicles,” the statement said, adding that the militants “were planning for a terrorist operation in Karbala.”
On Thursday, Emad al-Dulaimi, Rutba mayor, said in remarks that the first phase of military operation to liberate two regions of Okashat and Annahin will be launched simultaneously within the coming few hours.
Anbar’s western towns of Anah, Qaim and Rawa are still held by the extremist group since 2014, when it occupied one third of Iraq to proclaim a self-styled Islamic Caliphate. Iraqi troops were able to return life back to normal in the biggest cities of Anbar including Fallujah, Ramadi and others after recapturing them.
Fighter jets from the Iraqi army and the international coalition regularly pound IS locations in the province.