Islamic State training camp discovered west of Anbar
Iraqi forces during clashes with ISIS in Ramadi, Anbar. File photo.
The camp was discovered during operations to recapture al-Sakra and al-Zawiya regions west of the province, said the statement, which revealed that all the contents of that facility were set to fire by Iraqi troops.
The statement added that most of Islamic State attacks at the province’s town of Haditha launched from that camp which, it said, was located in a rugged terrain. It added that the forces had managed to erect barracks to protect the area from any attack.
Preparations are underway for next operations targeting Islamic State hideouts in Annah and Rawa, according to the statement.
The Iraqi army command in Anbar declared on the 5th of January the start of operations to retake western Anbar regions, close to the borders with Syria, from militants. The operations lasted for a few days, recapturing a few villages, before halting again. Observes see confusion regarding readiness to launch operations in the province, pointing out to the fact that the start of the security offensive was not officially declared by Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi as was the case with Mosul, where government forces have entered a third month of battles with the group.
Security sources said a week earlier that the government had decided to halt battles in Anbar until the end of operations in Mosul. The replacement of the army’s operations commander in Anbar, Ismail al-Mahallawi, cast more doubts on the reason behind the halt.
U.S. and Iraqi fighter jets, however, have carried out occasional airstrikes on Islamic State locations in western Anbar.