Iraqi Fighters Recaptures Four Villages in Anbar Province

Iraqi military and allied volunteer fighters have recaptured several villages in volatile western province of Anbar, dealing another blow to Daesh militants as anti-Takfiri operations continue.

Local media said Tuesday that members of the Iraqi Counter-Terrorism Forces managed to retake four villages, namely Buasi, Fuhaylat, Daeij and Khalid, south of the flashpoint city of Fallujah.

The chief commander of the military operation in Anbar said Iraqi forces also destroyed four hideouts of militants in an area located some 40 kilometers east of the provincial capital of Ramadi.

 Ismail Mahlavi said one notable member of Daesh was killed in the operation and several others were injured.

The advances came one day after Iraqis seized control several villages close to Hit, a town west of Ramadi, which pro-government forces recaptured last month.

The ongoing drive against Daesh is part of a larger operation against the group in Iraq’s west and north where the militants have been in control of some territories since summer of 2014. The military and allies liberated Ramadi late December following fierce clashes around the town.

An operation is also under way in the northern province of Nineveh where Iraqis have been retaking villages and towns to prepare for a final offensive into Mosul, Iraq’s second largest city and the most important urban area under control of Daesh in Iraq and in neighboring Syria.

Reports on Tuesday also suggested that Kurdish fighters had seized control of a key town north of Mosul. Sources in the Iraqi army confirmed that Peshmerga forces liberated Telskuf (Tesqopa) about 20 kilometers north of Mosul, after some fierce clashes with Daesh militants.

Iraqi forces are still at least 50 kilometers (30 miles) south of Mosul where fighting there has been forcing thousands of civilians from their homes.

Iraqi forces liberate Hit-Hadithah road in Anbar

Meanwhile, Iraqi forces have liberated a strategic road between the cities of Hit and Hadithah in Anbar Province from Daesh as they press on with the anti-terror operation in the area.

Iraq’s joint operations command, which is coordinating the battle, said in a statement on Monday that troops advanced along the Euphrates River, retaking control of several villages in Anbar.

The army’s 7th division advancing from al-Baghdadi met counter-terrorism forces moving up from the city of Hit in the opposite side, gaining control of the key highway.

“The road is therefore open between Hit and Hadithah, via al-Baghdadi, after an 18-month siege by the terrorists of Daesh,” Iraq’s joint operations command said.

“The siege of Hadithah and al-Baghdadi was broken after liberating the strategic highway between Baghdadi and Hit,” Major General Ali Ibrahim Daboun, the army commander responsible for the area, told AFP.

He also said the engineering units are currently clearing the area of the explosive devices planted by the Daesh terrorists.

“The engineering corps of the army continues to remove explosive devices to reopen the road for goods, oil products and food,” Daboun said.

Iraqi government forces and fighters from the Popular Mobilization Units are currently engaged in operations to liberate the militant-held regions.

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