Two Islamic State militants killed in campaign at Hamreen mountains
Soldiers of al-Hashd al-Shaabi.
“The 88th brigade of al-Hashd al-Shaabi [popular Mobilization Forces], backed by police, carried out a wide- scale campaign in Hamreen mountains,” the media service said on Monday. “The troops managed to kill two IS militants and destroy their vehicles.”
According to the statement, the troops seized weapons there.
In October, Iraqi army’s ninth armored division and PMFs announced imposing full control on Hamreen mountains, northeastern Iraq.
Iraqi Prime Minister Haidar al-Abadi announced, earlier this month, full liberation of Iraqi lands, declaring end of war against IS members.
Thousands of IS militants as well as Iraqi civilians were killed since the government campaign, backed by paramilitary troops and the coalition was launched in October 2016 to fight the militant group, which declared a self-styled “caliphate” from Mosul in June 2014. Since then, forces took back the group’s former capital, Mosul, the town of Tal Afar, Kirkuk’s Hawija, and each of Annah, Rawa and Qaim in Anbar.
The war against IS has displaced nearly five million people, with tens of thousands of civilians and militants killed since the launch of the offensives to recapture occupied cities.