Baaj (IraqiNews.com) The paramilitary troops have cleared another village from Islamic State in south of Baaj city, within the troops advance to liberate the region, located west of Mosul.In statements on Thursday, the media service of al-Hashd al-Shaabi (Popular Mobilization Units) said troops liberated al-Khubra village, south of Baaj.
Moreover, “The troops besieged Ghelfas village, in west of Baaj,” the media service said.
“The 17th brigade foiled Islamic State militants’ attempt to infiltrate toward Harrada region, west of Mosul,” according to the statements. “One militant was killed, while the others ran away.”
In related news, “the troops evacuated 300 families from IS-held villages in south of Baaj.”
Close to the Iraqi-Iranian borders, Baaj is considered an important IS stronghold.
While major offensives take place in Mosul by Iraqi troops, backed by U.S.-led coalition, other offensives are launched by the paramilitary troops of al-Hashd al-Shaabi to liberate neighboring regions in Nineveh province.
Last week, the paramilitary troops launched a second phase of operations launched earlier this month to complete the liberation of villages in the vicinity of Qairawan, freed on Tuesday, ahead of advancing toward Baaj, west of Mosul city.
An offensive was launched by PMUs on May 12, which resulted in clearing of Qairawan region, a main Islamic State bastion in west of Mosul which links between Tal Afar town and the Syrian borders, from IS militants earlier this week.
Paramilitary leader says IS front defense line stormed, border crossing freed
(IraqiNews.com) Badr Organization has announced storming the front defense line of Islamic State and liberating a border crossing with Syria.
In a statement, Hadi al-Amiri, the leader of the organization, which fights under the broader al-Hashd al-Shaabi (Popular Mobilization Units) said “the troops resumed their advance for the second day in row liberating the Iraqi-Syrian borders.”
Amiri added that the troops raided the front defense line, used to support militants in Syria, through besieging Jayer Ghelfas exit.
PMUs, according to Amiri, “resume their advance toward Tal Sufouq border crossing, located west of Baaj. One of the villages was completely controlled.”
Previously on Thursday, the troops cleared al-Khubra village from Islamic State and announced besieging Ghelfas village in south of Baaj city.
Iraqi troops liberate more sites on the border with Syria
[ALMASDARNEWS] The Popular Mobilization Units (PMU) are taking a heavy toll on the Islamic State
...formerly ISIS or ISIL, depending on your preference. Before that al-Qaeda in Iraq, as shaped by Abu Musab Zarqawi. They're very devout, committing every atrocity they can find in the Koran and inventing a few more. They fling
Allaharound with every other sentence, but to hear the pols talk they're not
reallyMoslems....
after bringing their desert warfare expertise, commanded by Haider al-Ameri, to deadly effect in western Nineveh.
Targeting an ISIS-held area south of al-Ba’aj, the PMU were able to wrestle control over the village of al-Khibra on Thursday morning. Later on, the Iraqi contingents also took control of the nearby al-Sakaar housing complex.
Meanwhile,
...back at the shouting match, Bart was wondering if fisticuffs would be appropriate at this point...
the PMU leadership announced it would start operations to secure the entire border with Syria; if succesful, this major military endeavour would cut the regional caliphate in half and significantly hamper its logistics and maneuverability.
In addition, PMU chief Abu Mahdi al-Muhandes announced that their forces would handover the entire border region to Syrian and Iraqi border guards once retaken.
With the PMU offensive heading southwards en route to the ISIS stronghold of al-Qaim, the PMU meanwhile denied it had crossed into Syria and said it was building trenches and barriers along the border to withhold ISIS counter-attacks.