Over ten IS members killed in army airstrikes, near Syrian borders

Baghdad (IraqiNews.com) At least ten Islamic State militants were killed in airstrikes launched by army near borders with Syria, the military media said.

“Iraqi fighter jets launched airstrikes that destroyed three vehicles in north of Akashat region, west of Anbar,” the Defense Ministry’s War Media Cell reported on Thursday.

“The shelling left more than 10 IS militants killed,” it added.

In late September, Iraqi army announced the total recapture of Annah. Troops also liberated Akashat region, between Rutba town, on borders with Jordan, and Qaim, on borders with Syria. Iraqi troops were able to return life back to normal in the biggest cities of Anbar including Fallujah, Ramadi and others after recapturing them in 2015 and 2016. Anbar’s western towns of Qaim and Rawa have been held by the extremist group since 2014, when it occupied one third of Iraq to proclaim a self-styled Islamic “Caliphate”.

On Wednesday, the Joint Operations Command said huge losses were inflicted on IS in Qaim, one of its two last bastions in western Anbar, as F-16 jets launched airstrikes, killing man militants. U.S.-led coalition warplanes reportedly pounded IS members in Qaim while setting up barricades preparing for an attack on security forces, killing ten of them.