45 IS militants killed, 13 villages liberated in western Anbar: Commander

In a statement by the Defense Ministry’s War Media Cell, Gen. Abdul Amir Yarallah, Commander of Upper Euphrates and Jazeera Combing Operations, said that Iraqi troops succeeded in liberating thirteen villages North of Euphrates river. He also declared that more than 100 IED were blown up, at least forty-five Islamic State militants were killed in three days. Gen. Yarallah also indicated “blowing up six booby-trapped vehicles and killed three suicide attackers”, as he said. Earlier on the day the Russian Sputnik Agency quoted Na’eem al-Kaoud, head of Anbar Provincial Council’s Security Committee, as saying that forces managed to free the civilians besieged by IS militants to be used as human shields in Rawa and that Security forces have opened safe passageways to allow civilian families to flee through Euphrates River. Operations were launched, late October, to liberate Qaim and Rawa towns. Both have been held by the extremist group since 2014, when it occupied one third of Iraq to proclaim a self-styled Islamic “Caliphate”. On Friday, Prime Minister Haidar al-Abadi announced liberation of Qaim in record time and Iraqi army also recaptured Ebeidi and Krabla regions in western Anbar. On Saturday, Iraqi joint forces launched a wide-scale offensive to liberate al-Rummana and Rawa regions. Advance toward Rawa is still ongoing.