Iraqi forces enter Qaim in final offensive on Daesh-held territory
Iraqi forces entered Al-qaim, one of the last remaining territories in the country still held by Daesh terrorists, the Joint Operations Command said on Friday. Units from the Iraqi Army, Counter Terrorism Service, Sunni tribal and the Popular Mobilization Units (PMU) are participating in an offensive to recapture Al-qaim and Rawa, two towns which lie on the border area with Syria, Reuters wrote.
Iraq’s security forces retook a border crossing with Syria from the terrorists, hours after entering Al-qaim, according to the Joint Operations Command.
The road runs through Al-qaim in Iraq and Albu-kamal in Syria, two towns which are very close to each other on opposite sides of the border in the last important territorial stronghold of the terror group.
The Us-led coalition said in a statement that approximately 1,500 Daesh terrorists were estimated to remain in the immediate vicinity of Alqaim. Announcing the offensive last week, Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-abadi said “Daesh members have to choose between death and surrender.”
The Takfiri terrorists swept through parts of northern and western Iraq in June 2014.
They then began a reign of terror across the captured areas, committing crimes against all ethnic and religious communities in Iraq, including Shias, Sunnis, Kurds, Christians and others.