SULAIMANI (ESTA) — U.S.-led Coalition forces destroyed 39 hideouts of the Islamic State (ISIS) in a series of airstrikes in Qarachogh mountain on Monday, according to the Iraqi military.
In a statement, Iraqi Security Media Cell said Coalition forces had launched 18 airstrikes against ISIS positions in Qarachogh mountain, southwest of Erbil.
“The international coalition aircraft carried out a series of airstrikes that amounted to 18 strikes in Qarachogh mountain, and resulted in the destruction of 39 dens,” the Iraqi military said.
Iraqi forces backed by Coalition forces have stepped up attacks on ISIS militants hiding in areas on the Qarachogh mountain range.
On March 20, Yehia Rasool, spokesman of commander-in-chief of the Iraqi armed forces, said the Coalition forces had conducted 133 strikes against the ISIS hideouts in Qarachogh mountain in the past 10 days.
Spokesman of Coalition forces Col. Wayne Marotto said in a tweet that the “precision airstrikes” destroyed 61 hideouts and 24 caves and eliminated a number of ISIS militants.
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.
