Iraqi forces killed governor of Hawija and dozens of militants

Iraqi air forces managed to destroy a number of ISIS strongholds, as they killed governor of Hawija loyal to ISIS extremist group and dozens of suicide bombers south of Kirkuk, as local sources in the province of Diyala, one of the most prominent leaders of "Daash" in the Zour basin northeast of Baquba killed in artillery shelling of the army. Meanwhile, Iraqi joint forces resumed their operations to liberate Mousl’s right bank after five days of suspension.

A security source in the province of Nineveh said, in a press statement: "The operations have been stopped because of the spread of the intensive presence of ISIS snipers in the old city, and to redraw the new plans to exhaust them."

"The plan includes the redeployment of security forces in the areas and villages near the old city to continue the siege of the city with the aim of exhausting the snipers," he said, adding that "the most targeted areas in the campaign on Monday are Badush and Aljazeera between Gamaliyah and Hamidiya".

He added, "The extremist group is burning the wheels of citizens and empty houses to mislead the Air Force and the International Coalition’s fighter jets of their objectives. They also prevent the people from escaping from the city." The Iraqi Defense Ministry has estimated the remaining part of western Mosul that is still held by Islamic State at thirty-five percent.

In remarks on Sunday, Iraqi Defense Minister Erfan al-Hiyali said life returned back to normal in the eastern side and that the Iraqi troops are in high spirit and making their best to secure the citizens and their properties.

The Iraqi army’s chief of staff, Lieutenant General Othman al-Ghanmi, was quoted by state-run newspaper al-Sabah earlier on Sunday as saying that the military operations in western Mosul are expected to be completed in a maximum of three weeks.

Iraqi generals previously claimed they were in control of 70 percent of the western side of Mosul, and that the total of territory held by IS in Iraq is less than seven percent. Iraqi troops, backed by the international coalition led by the U.S. and the paramilitary troops, took over the eastern side of Mosul in January after three months of fighting with the IS militants. In February, another major offensive was launched to retake the western side.

In the same context, A local source in Diyala Province informed that one of the Islamic State elite leaders in Houd al-Zour was killed by an artillery shelling, northeast of Baqubah, Alsumaria News reported on Sunday.

The source said that the Islamic State’s hideouts official of Houd al-Zour, the so-called Abu Yahia (The Hornet), was killed, along with one of his aides, by artillery shelling on the area. According to information, the hornet is one of the elite leaders of the so-called Wilayat Diyala of the Islamic State, the source added.

Noteworthy, Islamic State cells are significantly active in Houd al-Zour area, and launch several attacks on the area and the nearby villages from time to time.

On its hand, Iraqi Ministry of Defense’s War Media Cell announced, on Sunday, that 20 officials of the so-called Wilayat Baghdad of the Islamic State group were killed by an air strike, in the district of Qaim.

The cell said in a statement that based on intelligence information, F16 fighter jets and Sukhoi aircraft of the Iraqi Air Force conducted four air strikes in al-Qaim District, in the areas of Husaiba, al-Obaidi, al-Karabla and al-Masharee’.

The air strikes destroyed a hideout in the area of 7 Nissan in al-Qaim District, as well as killing 20 officials of the so-called Wilayat Baghdad of the Islamic State group and wounding others, including suicide bombers, the statement added.

The air strike was followed by several blasts, due to the explosion of IEDs and booby-trapped vehicles in the bombarded area, while the air strike also destroyed an explosives plant in al-Karbala area and killed 10 IS Arab members, the statement further explained.

Noteworthy, Anah, Rawa and al-Qaim are still occupied by the Islamic State group, which imposed its control over these cities three years ago, while security forces finished their preparations to retake these areas from the terrorist group.