ISIL Facing Complete Collapse in Nineveh’s Al-Qayyara City
The countdown has begun for the ISIL terrorist group in al-Qayyara to the South of Mosul as over 90 percent of the city has been fully seized back, FNA dispatches said.
Iraq’s joint military forces started the final phase of al-Qayyara liberation operation on Tuesday morning and the city center, except few building complexes and a school, is under the Iraqi forces’ control now.
“Over 90 percent of al-Qayyara has been seized back and only the communications building, a school and few residential buildings where the bomb-laden vehicles are kept are under ISIL’s control,” a battlefield source, speaking on the condition of anonymity, told FNA on Tuesday.
The Iraqi army and volunteer forces (Hashd al-Shaabi) have managed to win back vast areas of al-Qayyara city on Sunday as the Iraqi security forces and the Iraqi army’s ninth brigade entered the city at the same time.
The Iraqi forces are now driving out the terrorists from al-Qayyara refinery in the Southwestern part of the city.
Over 30 ISIL terrorists have been killed and many more wounded in Tuesday’s fierce clashes.
Al-Qayyara city is the biggest oil-rich region in Nineveh province as it has many oil wells there.
On Sunday, Iraq’s joint military forces managed to seize back most of al-Qayyara city.
The Iraqi forces had imposed full control over 75 percent of the al-Qayyara city and advanced from three directions deep inside the city.
Fierce clashes were underway in the Northern parts of the city as the ISIL terrorists were fleeing from the Northern parts to the Southern parts of the city.
The ISIL terrorists came under the siege of the Iraqi forces in the Southeastern and Western parts of al-Qayyara city.
Earlier on Sunday, Iraq’s joint military forces approached the gates of al-Qayyara city which is 63 kilometers from Mosul and were ready to start the third phase of the liberation operations of Mosul city and its surrounding areas.
On Saturday a senior military commander announced that Iraq’s joint military forces have completely seized back a strategic island to the East of al-Ramadi in Anbar province.
“The Iraqi security and Hashd al-Shaabi (volunteer forces) managed to fully liberate al-Khalediya Island 23 kilometers to the East of al-Ramadi and also take full control of the surrounding villages and regions of the island,” Commander of Anbar Liberation Operations Major General Esmayeel Mahlawi said.
He noted that the liberation of al-Khalediya Island comes after recapturing of the Bu Kana’an region which was the last military base of the terrorists in Al-Khalediya Island area.
Meantime, Hashd al-Shaabi Command Center in a statement announced that over 150 terrorists from different countries, including two Americans, 7 Russians, 4 Chechens and many Saudis, were killed in the al-Khalediya Island liberation operation.
Also on Thursday, General Mahlawi said that the Iraqi forces killed 700 ISIL militants during an anti-terrorist offensive on Khalediya Island.
“Security forces so far have killed 700 ISIL members since the beginning of Khalediya Island liberation battles,” said General Mahlawi.
The final anti-terrorist offensive on Khalediya Island started in late July.
The city of Ramadi was occupied by ISIL militants in May 2014. The government forces succeeded in retaking the city after weeks of fierce fighting from December 2015 to February 2016.ISIL is a terrorist group mainly operating in Syria and Iraq. The terrorists have also claimed responsibility for attacks in Europe. The group is deemed as terrorist entity by international bodies, including UN.
FNA
R.S