Security foils Islamic State attack, north of Qaim in Anbar
Iraqi army armoured fighting vehicles (AFV) cross as military pontoon bridge one the way to the frontline in western Mosul, Iraq June 7, 2017. Picture taken June 7, 2017. REUTERS/Erik De Castro
Speaking to Alghad Press, the source said, “the eighth division repulsed an IS attack launched by a booby-trapped vehicle in al-Rummana, north of Qaim.”
“Security services targeted a vehicle before it reached to forces deployed on al-Rummana bridge,” the source added.
The Joint Operations Command denied earlier on Wednesday launching clearance operations in Rummana, warning media agencies from reporting news that harms the military plans of the operations.
Prime Minister Haidar al-Abadi announced on Friday liberation of Qaim in record time.
Many IS militants reportedly fled Qaim heading to al-BuKamal in Syria, after several leaders ran away and were killed in airstrikes by the Iraqi and U.S.-Coalition jets.
Operations were launched, late October, to liberate Qaim and Rawa towns. Both have been held by the extremist group since 2014, when it occupied one third of Iraq to proclaim a self-styled Islamic “Caliphate”.
Iraqi forces have managed, so far, to retake Mosul, the group’s former capital, the town of Tal Afar, west of Nineveh, Kirkuk’s town of Hawija and Anbar’s Annah and Qaim.