Islamic State starts sending militants, equipments to Anbar’s desert

Anbar (IraqiNews.com) Islamic State has started sending its militants and equipments from a region in western Anbar to the desert, a security source said on Monday.

Speaking to AlSumaria News, the source said “the defeats against IS after liberation of Annah, Anbar, and then Hawija, Kirkuk, the group started sending the rest of militants and equipments from Qaim to Anbar’s western desert.

“The U.S.-led Coalition and army jets continue their shellings against the group in western desert, last of which was destroying a camp in the west of Anbar,” the source, who preferred anonymity, added.

Earlier on the day, Iraqi army warplanes bombarded a camouflaged IS camp in the form of cracks made in the ground at the 160th kilometer region in the center of Anbar’s desert, the military media said. 15 vehicles belonging to the group and ten oil barrels were destroyed in the raid.

More than 200 Syrian IS families coming from Mayadin, where confrontations take place between the militant group and the Syrian army, reportedly accessed Qaim on Sunday.

Iraqi army announced the total recapture of Annah, hours after recapturing neighboring Rayhana area, in September. Troops also liberated Akashat region, between Rutba town, on borders with Jordan, and Qaim, on borders with Syria.

Anbar’s western towns of Qaim and Rawa have been 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 2015 and 2016.