Iraqi jets kill tens of Islamic State members in western Anbar
Iraqi fighter jet file photo.
In a statement on Thursday, the ministry said, “the air force carried out several successful airstrikes destroying five headquarters and killing tens of militants, who were possessing weapons, in Qaim in western Anbar.”
On Wednesday, the U.S.-led Coalition jets reportedly shelled IS convoy, coming from Baaj desert heading toward al-Rommana region in Qaim town.
Earlier this week, the Defense Ministry’s War Media Cell said jets dropped hundreds of thousands of leaflets after midnight on Hawija as well as Qaim, Rawa, Annah and Okashat regions with news on victories by troops as well as IS defeats and threatened IS militants that they either have to surrender or die.
Fighter jets from the Iraqi army and the international coalition regularly pound IS locations in the province.
Anbar’s western towns of Anah, Qaim and Rawa are still held by the extremist group since 2014, when it occupied one third of Iraq to proclaim a self-styled Islamic Caliphate. Iraqi troops were able to return life back to normal in the biggest cities of Anbar including Fallujah, Ramadi and others after recapturing them.
In late July, a military source was quoted saying that Lt.Gen Abdul-Amir Yarallah, commander of the Nineveh Operations, ordered to besiege IS havens in western Anbar preparing to invade them.