New Iraqi offensive in Anbar begins
Anbar (IraqiNews.com) Iraqi army’s Jazeera Operations Command has declared launching a military operation to liberate and comb some regions in the north of Haditha Dam lake, western Anbar.
“Security troops as well as the tribesmen, backed by the U.S.-led coalition, launched military operation to free some regions in the north Haditha Dam lake, 160 KM west of Ramadi city,” Lt. Gen. Qassem Mohammedi, head of the command, told Al Sumaria News on Thursday.
“The troops killed dozens of extremists and blew up several booby-trapped vehicles belonging to the Islamic State,” he added.
The regions in the north of the lake are desert ones with a number of houses that are used by IS militants as hideouts.
Haditha city is fully controlled by security forces and tribal fighters, however, IS launches attacks there every now and then.
Earlier this week, additional U.S. forces reportedly arrived to a military base in Iraq’s Anbar province to take part in the security campaign against IS militants.
In March, reports indicated possible joint operations by the Iraqi and U.S. forces to clear IS-held towns of Annah, Rawa and Qaim near the borders with Syria . In the same month, the Iraqi Joint Operations Command denied news on arrival of 2000 U.S. Marine soldiers in Anbar to engage in the campaign.
In January, the province’s military command launched a brief assault that managed to recapture some western villages before stopping again. Fighter jets from the Iraqi army and the international coalition have also regularly pounded IS locations in the province.
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