Saudi national Islamic State emir killed in Salahuddin
Al-Hashd al-Shaabi (Popular Mobilization Units) in Salahuddin.
A statement by al-Hashd al-Shaabi (Popular Mobilization Forces) said on Thursday, “troops of the sixth brigade managed to kill abu Abdul Rahman, an IS Saudi Emir, during attempt to infiltrate toward military units in al-Siniyah region.”
Earlier on the day, Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis, deputy PMFs commander, said, “military operations carried out by the troops in cooperation with security services will take place through two stages; first one at western Shirqat, north of Tikrit, while the second at Hawija, southwest of Kirkuk.”
PMF announced earlier liberating five villages in northeast of Shirqat and killing several militants hiding at houses there.
Iraqi Prime Minister Haidar al-Abadi and Lt.Gen. Abdul Amir Yarallah, deputy commander of the Joint Operations Command announced on Thursday launch of first phase of operations to liberate Hawija and western Shirqat. Several villages in Shirqat have been retaken.
The Iraqi army said in September its forces recaptured the western coast of Shirqat, located south of Mosul, on the west bank of the Tigris river, after being surrounded for months by Iraqi troops and the pro-government Shi’ite militias. The eastern coast of Shirqat, is still under the IS control.