Senior ISIL Commander Killed in Iraqi Airstrikes Near Mosul

Abu Zainab, ISIL’s notorious leader, was killed in Iraqi airstrikes on ISIL’s Al-Ghazlani military base was hit by the Iraqi warplanes near Mosul city in Nineveh province.

At least 20 other ISIL terrorists were killed in the Iraqi fighter jets’ bombardments.

Al-Ghazlani military base is located near Zanavir village in the Southern part of Mosul city.

In a relevant development on Tuesday, the Iraqi army and volunteer forces (Hashd al-Shaabi) killed a notorious ISIL leader near Mosul city.

The ISIL governor identified as Mohammad Ahmad Sha’yeb was killed by the Iraqi government troops near the city of Mosul in the Northern part of Nineveh province.

“Ahmad Sha’yeb was the third ISIL commander who was killed by the Iraqi army over last 48 hours,” Iraqi defense ministry announced on Tuesday.

Also on Sunday, the Iraqi army and volunteer forces continued their advances near Mosul city, and seized back several strategic villages.

“We have liberated at least 10 ISIL-controlled villages, including Qudila, Qarmadi, Mahanah, Khattab, al-Nasr, Hamidat and Kharbardan since Thursday during military operations to take control of Mosul city which is located 400 kilometers to the North of Baghdad,” Brigadier General Najm Abdollah al-Jubouri said.

Scores of the ISIL terrorists were killed and wounded in heavy clashes with the Iraqi government troops over taking control of the villages near Mosul city.

Brigadier General al-Jubouri reiterated that the ISIL tried to penetrate in the newly-liberated villages by dispatching suicide bombers, but to no avail.

Also on Saturday, the Iraqi government troops are engaged in heavy fighting with the ISIL terrorists at the entrance of Mahana village in Makhmour region of Nineveh province.

Meantime, the Iraqi air force pounded and destroyed the ISIL’s military positions in al-Bashir region in the Southern part of Kirkuk.

The Iraqi fighter jets carried out targeted attacks on the ISIL’s gathering centers in Al-Ban region in Nineveh province.

The Iraqi Army and popular forces have begun military operations to retake the Northern province of Nineveh from ISIL since Thursday.