Iraqi forces are getting ready for major military operation

The joint forces are getting ready for a major military operation to free what is left of Anbar, after some soldiers were killed and others were injured in a Daesh ambush, while the main road connecting Baghdad and Mosul was crowded with hundreds of Iraqis fleeing the clashes.

Spokesman of Anbar tribes’ fighters, Ghassan al-Ithawi told “Arab Today” that, what happened to the soldiers in El Ratba was an ambush, and a week ago an operation to clean some villages and areas west of Anbar was launched, and soon there will be a military operation to free areas in upper Euphrates and Rawah from Daesh control.
 
He added that areas controlled by Daesh are still wide, and they extend to Syria and Jordan, so this operation needs great number, so the US forces in Ain El Assad base are expected to participate in it through air force and consulting.

Head of local government for Kada’a Hadetha, Khaled El Anzi said that, occupied towns by Daesh in the governorate are, Hasiba, Anaa, and Rawah, adding that the 7th brigade of Iraqi army and tribes’ forces formed a security force to track the organization elements in the Western Desert. He added that, this operation is focused on tracking the elements near the towns, and the forces managed to do so, saying that Coalition and Iraqi air force launched strikes targeting their locations in Rawah, Hasiba and Anaa, and these strikes caused a lot of losses.
 
While Anbar desert witnessed a bloody attack that left 50 Iraqi soldiers dead or injured in a Daesh ambush in kilo 160 area, the tribes leader, Fadel El Hitti said that, this operation is very important as it confuses the organization and gives it no chance to attack any towns, adding that the forces didn’t engage with Daesh because he doesn’t want to fight in the open desert.

State Military Information Cell confirmed in a press statement that, 35 elements of Daesh were killed during the military operation in Anbar desert, adding that, the forces managed to kill 10 elements and destroyed machinery storages, along with 4 other elements in El Obeidi area, and 21 others during a coalition air strike in Rawah.

The main road connecting Baghdad and Mosul was filled of Iraqis running from the violent clashes, not concerned about shells or weapons fired by the Iraqi forces. Some walked few kilometers until they reached a government checkpoint, where men were sent in military trucks to be checked, and women and children were sent to refugees’ camps.
 
Thousands of civilians are still trapped west of Mosul, where the Iraqi forces are advancing slowly. UN High Commissioner for Refugees said that, until April 20, the number of displaced people from Mosul reached 503.000, and 91.000 returned, while the International Organization for Migration said that until April 23 , the number reached 334518.