Iraqi forces, allies poised to launch Hawija operation
madaresharghi An Iraqi military official said government forces, backed by allied fighters from Popular Mobilization Units, are preparing to launch a major military operation aimed at liberating the town of Hawija in the oil-rich northern province of Kirkuk from Daesh Takfiri terrorists anytime soon. The unnamed official told Arabic-language Al-Araby al-Jadeed news website on Friday that […]
An Iraqi military official said government forces, backed by allied fighters from Popular Mobilization Units, are preparing to launch a major military operation aimed at liberating the town of Hawija in the oil-rich northern province of Kirkuk from Daesh Takfiri terrorists anytime soon.
The unnamed official told Arabic-language Al-Araby al-Jadeed news website on Friday that Iraq’s Joint Operations Command (JOC) has formed a new force, dubbed Operation “We Are Coming, Hawija” to retake the town, located 45 kilometers west of the provincial capital city of Kirkuk, Press TV wrote.
He added that Iraqi army units, members of the Federal Police Force and Counter Terrorism Service (CTS), the Interior Ministry’s Rapid Response Forces as well as volunteer fighters, commonly known by the Arabic word Hashd al-Shaabi, will participate in the battle.
The officer described the offensive to retake Hawija as difficult, pointing to the intense concentration of Daesh leaders and elements in the town plus the high number of civilians, whom the terrorists have held as human shields.
The remarks came as Iraqi military aircraft dropped thousands of leaflets across Hawija last night and early in the morning, announcing the imminent launch of the military operation to recapture the town.
Hawija is one of four Iraqi towns still controlled by Daesh. The other three towns of Al-Qa’im, located nearly 400 kilometers northwest of the capital Baghdad near the Syrian border, Anah and Rawa are in the western province of Anbar.
Daesh terrorists took control of Hawija after capturing Mosul and several other Iraqi cities in mid-2014.
The Takfiris have frequently carried out mass executions in Hawija. On August 6, 2016, they were said to have executed at least 100 people in one single incident.
Tal Afar liberation
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On Thursday, Iraq’s Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi said the northern city of Tal Afar and the entire Nineveh Province have been purged of the Daesh Takfiri terrorist group.
“Tal Afar has been liberated. We say to Daesh terrorists: Wherever you are, we are coming for you and you have no choice but to surrender or die,” Abadi said in a statement released on Thursday.
The recapture of Tal Afar was made possible with the help of the Iraqi army, Federal Police, counterterrorism units, volunteer troops, and Rapid Response Forces, Abadi said.
“Our happiness is complete victory has arrived and the province of Nineveh is now entirely in the hands of our forces,” the premier added.
Abadi also expressed Baghdad’s resolve to liberate all Iraqi territory and keep up its firm stance against terrorists who pose a threat to the entire region.
Announcing that Tal Afar had “regained its place in the national territory,” Abadi noted, “We pledge to you, our people, that we will continue to liberate every inch of Iraq.”
Iraqi forces launched the Tal Afar liberation operation on August 20.