Iraqi Forces, Kurds Tighten Noose on ISIL

Altaf Ahmad
Press TV, Erbil

After the strategic victory in Diyala, the Iraqi forces and popular committees are advancing in Anbar and Salahhudin provinces.

In the province of Anbar, Iraqi forces have strengthened their presence in the regions of – Al-Baghdadi, Al-Jazeera, and Al-Doulab –, which surround the district of Heet.

The reinforcements come ahead of an operation to clear-out the district, west of Ramadi.
East of Ramadi, Iraqi forces are advancing towards “Sejareyah” after having cleared out the region of “Al-Bou Ghanem”.

This, as Anbar tribesmen have established an anti-ISIL coalition and thousands of them have volunteered to fight ISIL and are currently being trained in the “Al-Habaniah Military Base.”

Al-Ameri’s comments come days after the city witnessed the fiercest ISIL offensive in months amid shy support by Western forces.

In the nearby Salahuddin, Iraqi forces have liberated the region of Al-Fatha –a strategic region which connects the largest oil refinery in Iraq - Baiji – with the oil-rich city of Kirkuk in northern Iraq.
The step comes as part of a large-scale operation to regain full control over Baiji.

Meanwhile, the Kurdish Peshmerga have liberated seven new villages northwest of Mosul.

Meanwhile, at the political level President of the KRG has recently met with Iraqi Premier Haidar Al-Abadi at the sidelines of a Security conference in Munich.

The two sides agreed on the importance of continuing meetings between Erbil and Baghdad to resolve tangled issues, enhance ties, and cooperate on the issue of liberating Mosul from ISIL grip - especially as the terror group sees this city as its capital.

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