SULAIMANI (ESTA) — The Iraqi military has launched an operation against Islamic State (ISIS) from several axes in southwest of Kirkuk, a security official said on Wednesday.
Lieutenant General Saad Harbiyah told state news agency INA that the Iraqi forces launched a large-scale operation from Wadi Hamrin, Wadi al-Shay and Palkana village to clear areas in southwest of Kirkuk of ISIS militants.
The units participating in the operation are the Iraqi military, federal police, special forces, the popular mobilization and tribal mobilization backed by Iraqi warplanes.
Harbiyah, commander of the advanced operations center in Kirkuk, said the operation “aims to secure the boundaries” between Kirkuk, Diyala and Saladin provinces.
The federal government announced victory over ISIS by the end of 2017 after Iraqi and Kurdish forces backed by U.S.-led Coalition regained control of areas once captured by the militant group.
Despite its defeat, ISIS still poses a threat to the security and stability of the country as there are still sleeper cells in Iraq.
