Iraqi Army Starts 3rd Phase Of Offensive To Clear Country Of IS Terrorists - Spokesman

The Iraqi Armed Forces have launched the third stage of the "Iraq Heroes" military offensive to clear the country's territory of the units of the Islamic State terrorist group (IS, banned in Russia), the state-run INA news agency reported on Monday, citing Commander-in-Chief spokesperson Yahya Rasool

MOSCOW (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 22nd June, 2020) The Iraqi Armed Forces have launched the third stage of the "Iraq Heroes" military offensive to clear the country's territory of the units of the Islamic State terrorist group (IS, banned in Russia), the state-run INA news agency reported on Monday, citing Commander-in-Chief spokesperson Yahya Rasool.

The Iraqi military announced in mid-February the start of a new anti-IS operation dubbed "Iraq Heroes," or "Victory of Sovereignty," as part of Iraq's efforts to clear the country's regions of illegal terrorist formations. On June 2, the forces began the second phase of the offensive in the northern Kirkuk and Salah ad-Din provinces.

"On the order of the Prime Minister and the Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces [Mustafa Kadhemi] and under the leadership of the Joint Operations Command, the third stage of the 'Iraq Heroes' operation has started to clear areas of the Salah ad-Din province and its borders with operation leaders (of Diyala, Samarra and Kirkuk provinces) from three directions," Rasool said, as quoted by the INA.

In 2017, the Iraqi government declared victory over the Islamic State, although pockets of militants remain in certain areas of the country.