200 Daesh militants killed, 11 villages recaptured in Hawijah operation
Iraqi government forces, backed by allied fighters from Popular Mobilization Units, have regained control of eleven villages around Hawijah after the launch of the second phase of offensive to dislodge Daesh Takfiri militants from their stronghold in the oil-rich northern province of Kirkuk as well as killing 200 of the group’s members.
The commander of the Hawijah liberation operation, Lieutenant General Abdul AmirYarallah, said on Friday that army troops, soldiers from the Federal Police Force and Counter Terrorism Service (CTS) the Interior Ministry’s elite rapid response forces and pro-government fighters – better known by the Arabic word Hashd al-Sha’abi – had completely retaken 11 villages, including Gharib, al-Karnah, al-Hajamah, al-Shajarah and Namilah.
A statement by the Defense Ministry’s War Media Cell, Yaralla said, “Iraqi jets launched several airstrikes targeting the group’s locations in Hawija.”
“The airstrikes left 96 militants and 13 vehicles destroyed,” he added.
The development comes as Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi on Friday announced the start of the second phase of offensive to liberate Hawijah from the grip of Daesh Takfiris.
“We announce the start of the second phase of the liberation of Hawijah and all the surrounding areas to the west of Kirkuk, and as promised the sons of our country are continuing to liberate every inch of the land of Iraq and crush the gangs of terrorist Daesh group,” said Abadi in a statement.
