Paramilitary leader says IS front defense line stormed, border crossing freed
Hadi al-Ameri, a senior al-Hashd al-Shaabi militia and seecretary general of Badr Organization.
In a statement, Hadi al-Amiri, the leader of the organization, which fights under the broader al-Hashd al-Shaabi (Popular Mobilization Units) said “the troops resumed their advance for the second day in row liberating the Iraqi-Syrian borders.”
Amiri added that the troops raided the front defense line, used to support militants in Syria, through besieging Jayer Ghelfas exit.
PMUs, according to Amiri, “resume their advance toward Tal Sufouq border crossing, located west of Baaj. One of the villages was completely controlled.”
Previously on Thursday, the troops cleared al-Khubra village from Islamic State and announced besieging Ghelfas village in south of Baaj city.
Earlier this week, Hadi al-Amiri, head of Badr Organization, said PMUs reached to Iraqi-Syrian borders.
Last week, al-Hashd al-Shaabi troops resumed the second phase of operations, launched earlier this month, to liberate the remaining villages in the vicinity of Qairawan, a main Islamic State bastion which links between Tal Afar town and the Syrian borders, and Baaj, after the troops announced full liberation of Qairawan.
PMUs, an alliance of more than 60 mostly Shia militias, are recognized by the government as a national force under the Prime Minister’s command.