Iraqi forces start operation to liberate Anbar districts

Iraqi forces have launched a new operation to liberate two districts in the embattled Anbar Province as part of a push to drive out Daesh terrorists.

Staff Major General Ismail al-Mahalawi, the head of the Anbar Operations Command, said on Monday that the forces began liberating Zankurah and Albu Rishah districts north of the provincial capital of Ramadi.

The operation comes three days after the nearby strategic city of Fallujah was freed from the grip of the Takfiri terrorist group.

Meanwhile, Iraq's federal police chief Raed Shaker Jawdat said Daesh's self-proclaimed governor for Fallujah had been killed in an operation west of the city.

Iraqi sources also said volunteer Hashd al-Shaabi units have wrested control over the Harariat district north of Fallujah.

On Friday, the Iraqi army managed to raise the national flag on the main government complex in Fallujah after entering the city without facing significant resistance from Daesh terrorists.

Later in the day, Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi congratulated the nation on the liberation of Fallujah, saying there is no place in the country for Daesh elements.

The northern and western parts of Iraq have been plagued by gruesome violence ever since Daesh terrorists began their reign of terror in the country in June 2014.

On Monday, two Iraqi army soldiers lost their lives and eight others were wounded when a bomber detonated his explosive vest at the entrance of a military base north of Baghdad.

Some reports put the number of soldiers killed in the bombing attack at four. There has been no claim of responsibility for the assault, but such acts are usually carried out by Daesh.

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