Breaking: Iraqi military launches last operation to expel ISIS from Iraq

The Iraqi Armed Forces launched their last operation to expel the so-called Islamic State (ISIS) from Iraq, the official media wing for the Iraqi Ministry of Defense announced this morning.

Led by the army and Hashd Al-Shaabi (Popular Mobilization Units), the Iraqi Armed Forces struck the Islamic State’s last positions inside the northwestern countryside of the Al-Anbar Governorate.

So far, no gains have been announced by the Iraqi Armed Forces; furthermore, this operation will likely take several weeks to complete as the Islamic State is deeply entrenched in this desert area of Al-Anbar.

The main objective of this offensive is to seal the Iraqi-Syrian border, which has been the Islamic State’s lifeline in both countries.