Iraq sends reinforcements to liberate key areas in Anbar

The Iraqi army has sent reinforcements to a military base in the western province of Anbar in preparation for an operation aimed at retaking a key city from Daesh Takfiri terrorists.

“Major military reinforcements… arrived today to the Ain al-Asad base,” located in the Hit district of Anbar Province, Iraqi Major General Ali Ibrahim Daboun said Monday.

The military official further said forces from the counter-terrorism service and police will participate in the liberation operation of the city of Hit, situated northwest of the provincial capital Ramadi, as well as the nearby Kubaisa area in the coming days.

Ramadi was liberated last December almost a year after coming under Daesh’s control, marking one of the most significant victories of Iraqi armed forces since the terror group’s rise in the country in early 2014.

In recent days, Iraqi forces have regained control of a number of areas east of Ramadi, where they are engaged in clean-up operations. They are now focusing on militant-held areas north of the city.

Meanwhile, Anbar Operations Command chief Major General Ismail al-Mahlawi said the Iraqi forces thwarted a Daesh attack on a military base in the recently-liberated al-Hamidiyah town east of Ramadi on Monday, killing 46 terrorists.

Violence has plagued the northern and western parts of Iraq ever since Daesh Takfiris launched an offensive in June 2014, and took control of portions of Iraqi territory.

The militants have been committing crimes against all ethnic and religious communities in Iraq, including Shias, Sunnis, Kurds and Christians.

The Iraqi army and fighters from Popular Mobilization units are engaged in joint military operations to win back militant-held regions.

In an interview with Press TV on Sunday, Iraqi Defense Minister Khaled al-Obaidi said government troops and allied fighters have undertaken a decisive battle to wrest back control of the northern city of Mosul, the major Daesh stronghold, by the yearend.

He added that the government has deployed thousands of additional troops to the Makhmour district, east of Mosul, ahead of a final push to flush the terrorists out of the city.

Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi has also vowed that the country will to bring an end to Daesh existence in the country this year.