IRAQI FORCES LAUNCH ‘LARGE SCALE’ ANTI-ISIS OPERATION

Mon 09 November 2020:

Iraq’s army and air force have launched a major offensive to pursue ISIS militants in Makhoul Mountains, ISIS’s most dangerous hideout in the northern regions.

Ordered by commander in chief Mustafa al-Kadhimi, who is also prime minister of Iraq, the operation will be conducted with cooperation from federal police, parts of the Popular Mobilisation Forces (PMF, also known as Hashd al-Shaabi), as well as air support from the US-led anti-ISIS coalition, the statement added.

“Air force jets and Global Coalition warplanes conducted a series of strikes on terrorist targets in the Khanuka and Makhoul mountain ranges,” Iraqi Security Media Cell said on Twitter on Sunday.

The Cell said in a tweet on Saturday that strikes on Khanuka were conducted by Iraq’s F-16 jets on ISIS targets, with Coalition supervision.

The Deputy Commander of Joint Operations, Lieutenant General Abdul Amir al-Shammari, said that the wide-range offensive will cover Khanuka and Makhoul mountain ranges and will continue for several days.

He named the units participating in the operation, including the 9th division of the army, the Special Forces Command, Nineveh Operations Command, the leadership of the Federal Police forces, rapid response brigade, units of the Popular Mobilization Forces (PMF), and units of the Counter-Terrorism Service, with the support of the army and international coalition air forces.

For his part, the Joint Operations Command spokesman Tahsin al-Khafaji confirmed that the operation was launched, indicating that the Iraqi forces “pursued a new tactic.”

The Security Media Cell announced that the operation achieved its first objectives, uncovering 14 explosive devices, two tunnels, a missile platform, and various kinds of weapons and missiles.

The Popular Mobilization Forces announced that its units found and destroyed a number of tunnels used by ISIS in the mountains, adding that the forces will continue to cleanse the area in the north of Saladin governorate.

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