Iraq forces advance in ‘last den’ of Daesh

BAGHDAD: Iraqi forces on Thursday recaptured from Daesh several military bases and villages as they launched a push to wipe out remnants of the terrorists’ selfstyled caliphate in the country.

“The heroic legions are advancing into the last den of terrorism in Iraq to liberate Al-Qaim, Rawa and the surrounding villages and hamlets,” Prime Minister Haider Al-Abadi said in a statement from neighboring Iran where he is on a state visit.

Federal forces on Thursday advanced toward Habur from three towns: Rabia, near the IraqiSyrian border, Zummar, 60 km north of Mosul, and Perde town on the main way linking Kirkuk to the Kurdish region. Armed clashes broke out between the advancing troops and Kurdish forces deployed in the region, for the second time this week, military sources said.

“Direct clashes stopped since the morning, and despite mortar and rockets launched by Peshmerga from the nearby town, our forces are advancing steadily,” a senior federal military officer involved in the operation who refused to be named told Arab News.

Federal and regional military sources told Arab News that there were casualties from both sides.

No specific numbers of casualties were given, but a senior Kurdish commander and his two bodyguards were killed in Zummar.

Baghdad formally rejected on Thursday a proposal presented by the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) to “freeze” the results of the referendum, “immediate” cease-fire between the two sides, and start an “open” dialogue based on the constitution between the federal government and the Kurdistan Region.

“Our strategy is to return these (the disputed) areas to the authority of state and we are not accepting (anything) except the cancelation of the Kurdish referendum and commitment to the constitution,” Al-Abadi said in a statement.