Iraqi forces retake more areas near Fallujah in Anbar
Iraqi forces have managed to liberate more areas near the strategic city of Fallujah in Anbar province from the control of the Daesh terrorist group, tightening noose around the militants in the city.
Iraq’s counter-terrorism forces regained control of the neighborhood of al-Shuhada al-Thaniya to the south of the Fallujah on Wednesday, according to the Arabic-language al-Sumaria news website.
According to the report, the forces raised the Iraqi flag over the buildings of the district and are continuing to advance towards other areas.
The development comes as Lieutenant General Abdelwahab al-Saadi, the commander of Fallujah Liberation Operations, said on Tuesday that government forces, together with fighters from the allied Popular Mobilization Units, are poised to liberate Fallujah from Daesh within the next few days.
On May 22, Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi announced the start of the liberation operation of the Daesh-held Fallujah. Nearly 70 kilometers west of the capital Baghdad, the strategic city in the Anbar province has been under the Takfiris’ control since 2014.
Iraqi government forces advance towards the center of Saqlawiyah, northwest of Fallujah, during an operation to regain control of the area from the Daesh terrorist group, on June 4, 2016. (AFP photo)
Daesh oil depot hit in Mosul
Meanwhile, Iraq’s air raids destroyed an oil depot of Daesh terrorists in the center of Mosul city in the province of Nineveh on Wednesday.
The fighter jets targeted the depot in Suq al-Maash area in Mosul. Iraqi sources say the facility is one of Daesh’s largest oil depots.
The air attack also destroyed at least 20 oil tankers belonging to Daesh.
Gruesome violence has plagued the northern and western parts of Iraq ever since Daesh terrorists launched an offensive in June 2014, and took control of portions of the Iraqi territory.
The militants have been committing heinous crimes against all ethnic and religious communities in Iraq, including Shias, Sunnis, Kurds, and Christians.
Iraqi army soldiers and fighters from the Popular Mobilization Units are seeking to win back militant-held regions in joint operations.
