Reinforcements sent to western Anbar preparing for IS havens invasion
Iraqi army forces.
Anbar (IraqiNews.com) Military reinforcements have been sent to an area west of Anbar preparing for an invasion of Islamic Sate-held areas, a security source said Monday.
Alghad Press quoted the source saying reinforcements were sent to Sakra region preparing for an invasion of the IS-held town of Annah.
Islamic State have held the towns of Annah, Rawa and Qaim, near the borders with Syria, since 2014. The Iraqi government puts the three towns as targets for its upcoming military action against the militant group.
Earlier on Monday, another security source told Alghad press that the Fallujah-Hit highway was closed. It quoted Rageh Barakat, a member of the security committee at Anbar province board, saying that troops moved from Ain al-Assad base preparing for an offensive against IS havens.
The U.S.-backed Iraqi government campaign to retake IS-held regions has, since October 2016, managed to recapture the city of Mosul, Islamic State’s former capital, as well as the town of Tal Afar, west of Mosul.
The Iraqi government and military commanders have recently said that the next move in their anti-IS military efforts was the liberation of the town of Hawija, southwest of Kirkuk.
In July, reports told of military aircraft dropping messages on western Anbar telling civilians that liberation offensives were approaching, and advising them to stay away from militants’ gatherings and headquarters.