Commander: Iraqi Army, Volunteer Forces Win Back Key Region in Anbar Province

“Iraq’s joint military forces took full control of al-Rataba region in the Western part of Anbar province,” Commander of Anbar Operations Esmayeel al-Mahlawi announced on Tuesday.

He noted that the mop-up operations are still underway in al-Rataba region.

Meantime, member of Anbar Provincial Council Azal al-Fahdavi told FNA that the Iraqi forces are in full control of al-Rataba region.

Al-Fahdavi pointed to the situation in al-Rataba region, and said, “The Iraqi forces killed four suicide bombers who had explosive belts and arrested four others.”

Media reports said on Sunday that Iraq’s joint military forces had seized back 53 villages since the beginning of Mosul military operation.

“An arms depot and 7 suicide belts have also been destroyed,” the Arabic-language media reported.

On Thursday, informed sources said that the Iraqi security and popular forces retook 14 villages in the Northern and Southern parts of Mosul from the ISIL control.

Iraqi sources said that the army and its allies seized back control of al-Khalediyeh, al-Salehiyeh and al-Khabat villages near al-Qayyara, Deiri, Samaqiyeh, Soqra, Kobra and Nahla villages near Sahl Neineva region, Sidaveh, al-Makouk, al-Manavir and Khanisat villages in Southern Mosul and Barima and al-Nouran villages in Northern Mosul.

They added that operations will continue until freedom of all regions in Mosul from the ISIL hand.

Meantime, reports said that the Iraqi army and volunteer forces have surrounded the center of al-Hamdaniyeh town in the Southeastern parts of Mosul.

Governor of Iraq’s Nineveh Province announced on Wednesday the Iraqi army and popular forces managed to liberate 40% of the province from ISIL terrorists and they met with little resistance by the terrorists while liberating the villages in the Nineveh Province.

“The arrival of Iraqi security forces to Mosul cheered up the citizens and displaced people,” the Governor of Nineveh, Nofal Hammadi said in a press statement.

“We are waiting for the full liberation of our province and the Iraqi flag to be raised on its center,” he noted.

“Iraqi security forces liberated 40% of Nineveh Province, and they met with little resistance by the ISIL members in the liberated villages due to their retreated morale,” Hammadi concluded.