Anti-ISIS operation in Iraq extends to Syrian border

North-Press Agency

On Sunday, Iraq launched a military reconnaissance operation from the Jazira desert to the Syrian border searching for Islamic State cells.

The Security Media Cell of the Iraqi Prime Minister's Office declared today, Sunday, in a statement that under the supervision of the Joint Operations Command, Operation Jazira Lions began to search the desert of Jazira, north of Anbar Governorate, south of Nineveh Governorate and west of Saladin Governorate, up to the border with Syria.

The Joint Operations Command revealed the goals of the operations that began today in the desert of the three Iraqi provinces.

Operations Command spokesman Major-General Tahsin al-Khafaji told the Iraqi News Agency (INA) today, Sunday that the military operation that was launched in Anbar, Jazira and West Mosul extends from the Syrian border up to Baiji Haditha Road in order to secure the desert areas with an estimated distance of 150km.
He stressed the existence of coordination with Syria through the Quadripartite Center for Exchange of Security Information (Iran, Russia, Iraq, and Syria), as well as coordination with the Syrian Democratic Forces through the Global Coalition.

He indicated that "the military operation aims at perpetuating the momentum of the conflicts and pressures on ISIS, cutting off supply and transportation lines, chasing out sleeper cells, and restoring stability to areas with security breaches.”