Iraqi Army Takes Control of Strategic Highway Near Samarra

Iraqi army and popular troops seized back over a strategic highway in the Southern parts of the city of Samarra.

“The Iraqi security forces managed to take full control of the Samarra-Sarsar highway,” Sumeriya news website quoted an informed Iraqi security as saying.

The security source, who asked to remain unnamed, noted that 15 ISIL terrorists were killed in the heavy clashes over the highway.

“We also defused 30 roadside bombs,” he added.

The ISIL Takfiri terrorists all communities in Syria and Iraq, as they continue their atrocities in Iraq.

Senior Iraqi officials have blamed Saudi Arabia, Qatar, and some Gulf Arab states for the growing terrorism in their country.

The ISIL has links with Saudi intelligence and is believed to be indirectly supported by the Israeli regime.

Iraq almost through with military planning for taking back Mosul

Meanwhile, Iraq’s Defense Minister Khalid al-Obeidi announced on Sunday that the country’s army is completing its planning for massive operations to set the entire city of Mosul free.

“Planning for the liberation of Mosul city is nearly complete and all tribes and residents of the province will fight alongside the Iraqi army and security forces against the ISIL,” al-Obeidi said.

Last month, al-Obeidi said that liberating Mosul would put an end to the ISIL terrorist group.

Obeidi also said that the Iraqi government will keep providing the armed forces with all the needed weapons, stressing that the army is able to protect the country.

Since June 2014, Northern, Western and Central provinces of Iraq have been the scene of insurgency posed by the ISIL terrorists who attacked army bases in summer and occupied vast areas in Nineveh, Anbar and Salahuddin provinces, including Mosul, Tikrit and Fallujah.

Army soldiers and populace forces decided to grow united against the new wave of militancy in the country.

Army officials had previously announced that insurgency in the country would be eradicated by the end of 2015.

Iran, Iraq border guards will boost cooperation

In another context, a senior law enforcement official said that Iranian and Iraqi border guards will promote bilateral cooperation as ambassadors of peace and friendship.

Commander of Iran’s Border Guards Brigadier General Qasem Rezaei made the remarks in Shalamcheh border point in this southwestern provincial city.

He was in the border point to leave Iran for Iraq where he is to attend a meeting with Iraqi border officials in the Iraqi city of Basra.

The commander described Iranian and Iraqi border guards’ cooperation as “acceptable” in providing the two countries border security.

Speaking to reporters prior to his departure, he said that security situation in Khuzestan’s land and sea border areas as well as river sides are “satisfactory.”

Meanwhile, Rezaei’s Iraqi counterpart who was also present in the Shalamcheh border point to welcome the Iranian commander said Iraq is interested in sharing Iran’s experiences in the field of border control.

He expressed hope that Tehran would help Baghdad by holding training courses for the Iraqi border guards.

FNA, IRNA

R.S