Iraq’s war against ISIS over a week, operations covered vast areas
ERBIL, KRG, Iraq (North Press) – Iraqi forces have been conducting Operation “Strong Will”- Phase Two against the Islamic State Organization (ISIS) for six days in a row in different parts of Iraq.
Dozens of ISIS members were killed and arrested. ISIS’ self-styled province “Wilayat Dijlah” was fully eliminated.
On Wednesday, the Popular Mobilization Forces (PMF) announced the arrest of a dangerous ISIS member in Nineveh plain in western Iraq.
The PMF is an Iraqi state-sponsored umbrella organization composed of approximately 67 different armed factions, with around 128,000 fighters that mostly Shia Muslim.
During the first five days of the operation, the forces participating in the security operation seized amounts of weapons ISIS contained in its hideouts.
On April 26, the Iraqi forces arrested two ISIS members in Saqlawiyah area in al-Anbar city. Two others were arrested the day before.
Spokesman of the Iraqi General Command, Yahya Rasool said Tuesday that Wilayat Dijlah was fully eliminated in southern Mosul and that 43 ISIS members were killed by anti-terrorism forces.
On the same day, a security source told North Press that ISIS members targeted the Iraqi Army in Hit district in al-Anbar city, killing two Iraqi soldiers and injuring others.
In a similar incident in Tarmiyah city in the north of Baghdad, the Media Security Cell announced the death of an Iraqi soldier and the injury of others. Additionally, two Iraqi members were killed in a suicide explosion.
Again on Tuesday, the Media Security Cell published a video documenting the fatality of four ISIS members in an airstrike within the Operation “Strong Will”-Phase Two.
On April 24, the security forces in Saladin region searched hideouts of ISIS and arrested seven members who confessed they had joined Wilayat Saladin and that they had taken part in several attacks against Iraq’s security forces as well as civilians.
Early this week, five senior ISIS members were arrested during sporadic operations in Baghdad, Nineveh and Kirkuk, according to the Iraqi Intelligence forces.
On April 23, the Iraqi Joint Operation Command announced Operation “Solid Will”-Phase Two which included several Iraqi governorates.
In the wake of the operation, Iraqi PM Mustafa al-Kadhimi said “I confirm the need to adhere to the military orders and directives issued by the leadership”. He noted that remnants of ISIS has no choice but to die.