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Clearing the western desert ‘twixt Ninevah and Anbar
 Over thirty villages combed within operation to comb desert regions Baghdad (IraqiNews.com) Iraqi joint troops managed to comb over thirty villages within the second part of operations at Upper Euphrates and Jazirah region, the military media said. In a statement on Friday, Lt. Gen. Abdul Amir Yarallah, commander of Upper Euphrates and Jazira Combing Operations, said the pro-government al-Hashd al-Shaabi (Popular Mobilization Forces) managed to purge 35 villages and an area of 4,300 square kilometers. “The operation comes within the second part of the second phase of operations to comb Jazirah and Upper Euphrates regions,” he added. Iraqi joint troops started on Friday the second phase of military operations to comb the western desert, ahead of declaring the full liberation of Iraqi territories. The operation seeks that troops meet in the desert between northern Nineveh and western Anbar in a road that stretches for 200 square kilometers, adjacent to borders with Syria. Iraqi Prime Minister Haidar al-Abadi said in November that his country has defeated Islamic State over the military level, but will declare final victory after desert areas are purged of militants. Brig. Gen. Yehia Rasool, spokesperson for the Joint Operations Command said in remarks last week that the second phase of operations to clear borders near Syria from Islamic State militants will launch soon. An area of 14,000 out of 29,000 square kilometers in the desert has been cleared by IS militants. Islamic State members fled western desert toward Syrian borders: PMFs Baghdad (IraqiNews.com) The pro-government paramilitary troops have said several Islamic State militants escaped the western desert toward Syrian borders. “The intelligence of al-Hashd al-Shaabi (Popular Mobilization Forces) confirmed that several IS members fled the desert toward the Syrian borders,” the media service said in a statement on Friday. Troops are advancing from seven directions in the depth of al-Badiya desert and started on Friday combing several villages from remnants of the war.  Security personnel wounded while repelling IS attack near Syrian bordersAnbar (IraqiNews.com) Iraqi border troops have thwarted an attack by Islamic State against border crossing with Syria, a security source from Anbar said on Friday. “Border troops repulsed an IS attack against headquarters, north of al-Waleed crossing, coming from Syria,” the source told AlSumaria News. “Two personnel were wounded while repelling the attack,” the source, who preferred anonymity, added. “Losses were inflicted on the militants, who retreated back to the Syrian lands.” Security troops control the crossing as well as an area of 80 kilometers in the north of the crossing. Posted by: trailing wife 2017-12-09 |
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