Islamic State rallies militants to attack Iraqi borders with Jordan, Syria

(IraqiNews.com) Islamic State has rallied tens of its militants to attack Iraqi common borders with Syria and Jordan, the Russian Sputnik news agency reported Tuesday.

Speaking on condition of anonymity, local and security sources said the group gathered the militants at the 25 KM region, west of Rutba, located western Anbar province on the borders with Jordan.

The militants possess different kinds of weapons and have 17 booby-trapped vehicles. They intend to attack military units deployed around Rutba, the sources added.

The 25 KM region is located near the Okashat, a desert area that separates between Rutba and Qaim town, in western Anbar.

One of the sources indicated another IS gathering in al-Batnan desert village, located west of Anbar near al-Natf border crossing between Iraq and Syria. The militants are 18 KM away from the border crossing. They intend attacking the crossing as well as the Iraqi-Syrian-Jordanian borders.

A military source was quoted on Sunday as saying that Lt.Gen Abdul-Amir Yarallah, commander of the Nineveh Operation, ordered to besiege IS havens in western Anbar preparing to invade them.

Iraqi fighter jets reportedly dropped last week millions of leaflets informing locals that liberation offensives for the province were nearing.

Iraqi troops were able to return life back to normal in the biggest cities of Anbar including Fallujah, Ramadi and others after recapturing them. However, Anbar’s western towns of Annah, Qaim and Rawa are still held by the extremist group since 2014, when it emerged to proclaim a self-styled Islamic Caliphate.

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