6 Islamic State positions bombarded between Diyala, Salahuddin
Iraqi army fires towards Islamic State militant positions
Diyala (IraqiNews.com) Iraqi troops bombarded six Islamic State positions in a border area between Diyala and Salahuddin, a provincial official said.
“Iraqi security forces in cooperation with al-Hashd al-Shaabi [Popular Mobilization Forces] fighters fired mortar shells at six positions of Islamic State at Albu Canaan village in the border are between Diyala and Salahuddin provinces,” Abdul-Khaleq al-Azzawi, a member of Diyala province council, told Alghad Press on Sunday.
“There are reports of human casualties among Islamic State militants,” Azzawi said, adding that the shelling occurred after receiving accurate information on the location of these sites.
On Saturday, Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi declared final victory over Islamic State three years after the militant group captured about a third of Iraq’s territory.
In a speech during the international media conference held at the journalists syndicate in Baghdad, Abadi said, “Our troops gained full control on the Iraqi-Syrian borders. We announce the end of war against Islamic State.”
“Our battle against the enemy, who wanted to destroy our civilization, is over. Thus, we gained victory through our unity and determination that made us defeat IS in short time,” he said.
Abadi’s announcement comes two days after Russia announced a similar victory over Islamic State militants in neighboring Syria.
Abadi declared Dec. 10 an annual national holiday on this occasion.