Iraqi Federal Police managed to control new district of the right bank of the Iraqi city of Mousl on Wednesday in the framework of the current operations to liberate from ISIS extremists, as the Iraqi fighter jets managed to kill 20 armed people loyal to the extremist group in the district of Qaim of Anbar province.
Sixteen Islamic State members were killed, a booby-trapping workshop was destroyed in airstrikes in several parts in western Mosul, the War Media Cell said. In statements the WMC media service said “The Iraqi fighter jets launched several airstrikes that killed four terrorists who were targeting the security troops as well as liberated regions in al-Refaie district in western Mosul.”
“An underground weapon stash was destroyed. Six terrorists were killed, while others were destroyed on 17 Tamuz [July 17th] district. Booby-trapped and armored vehicles were destroyed, while three terrorists were killed in Hatra region,” the service added.
“A booby-trapping workshop was destroyed, while three terrorists including two foreigners were killed in Tal Afar town,” according to the statements.
In related news, Federal Police Chief Lt.Gen. Shaker Jawdat indicated crackdown on the IS militants in al-Jisr al-Khamis region killing six members and liberating 70 percent of al-Haramat al-Thaniya district. He also announced controlling an ammunition stash as well as approaching toward al-Iqtisadiyeen district with 500 meters.
Earlier on Wednesday, the Nineveh operations command said the army’s elite Counter-Terrorism Service forces killed Abu Ayoub al-Shami, IS military commander for the Islah al-Zeraie district, along with three of his aides. The troops also took over al-Maamel area.
In the same context, An Islamic State member was killed, two others were injured in an armed conflict that occurred in al-Qaim city, west of Anbar province, over selecting Arab and foreign women from the group’s Jihadul Nikah (sexual jihad) division.
“An armed conflict lasted for more than an hour outside the group’s division headquarters after disputes occurred among the militants over selection of Arab and foreign women, who were transferred from Syria’s Raqqa to Qaim, west of Anbar,” a source told AlJournal News on Wednesday.
“The clashes left one member killed and two others injured, who were transferred then to house of an IS leader called Jabbar al-Hudheim in Qaim,” the source added. “Armed conflicts usually take place while bringing IS female members from one region to another, especially from Al-Bukamal and Raqqa in Syria. After selecting the females, every member takes US$400 and gets a house for them both from houses of police, army officers of the senior tribesmen in western regions.
Qaim was captured by the Islamic State in 2014. Thousands of civilians were besieged by the militants inside the city in order to be used as human shields. IS still holds a few areas in Salahuddin, Diyala, Anbar and Kirkuk, but the Iraqi government, is expected to aim at those strongholds once the Mosul battle is concluded.
On the other hand, Mousl’s former Governor Atheel al-Nujaifi blamed the Iraqi government for its failure to rebuild the city, saying that such process requires over three billion dollars, while the Iraqi government failed to provide 10 percent of such huge amount of money.
On the political side, International coalition forces will be a part of the “assisting” forces to retake ISIS-held Hawija, Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi said, adding that the operation is nearing.
“We have stepped up military plans to retake Hawija. Coalition forces will be part of the assisting forces to regain control of Hawija,” Abadi told Rudaw after meeting of Iraqi Council of Ministers on Tuesday.
There was no immediate response by the Coalition on its role in the anticipated fight, but previous statements by the Coalition indicated they will not exceed their “advise and assist” roles.