Alwaght- Iraqi government forces have managed to seize back nearly 12 villages as they advance in an offensive against ISIS terrorists in Hawija town, Kirkuk province.
During the joint operations with allied fighters from the Popular Mobilization Forces (PMF) to push the terrorists out of the northern town, Iraqi forces liberated the villages of Ain Kawa, Hoshterluk, Hasarok, Greater Sarnaj, Lesser Sarnaj, Upper Shandar, Adlah, Fatima, Mahmoud al-Sha’abi, Qouj and Kharbati.
The commander of Hawijah liberation operation, Lieutenant General Abdul Amir Yarallah, announced in a statement on Thursday that the units of the 9th Armored Division as well as the 2nd and 11th brigades of the Popular Mobilization Forces had successfully completed the first phase of the operation to liberate Hawijah, located 240 kilometers north of the capital Baghdad, from the grip of ISIS extremists.
Earlier on Thursday, Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi announced launched an offensive against ISIS in Hawija. The territory is one of the last areas still controlled by the Takfiri group.
"At the dawn of a new day, we announce the launch of the first stage of the liberation of Hawija, in accordance with our commitment to our people to liberate all Iraqi territory and eradicate groups that support terror," al-Abadi said in a Thursday statement.
The Iraqi Army assisted by PMF in June fully recaptured the northern city of Mosul, the de facto capital of the ISIS terrorist group in the Arab country. The city was occupied by ISIS in June 2014 and ISIS ringleader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi declared his so-called caliphate at the city's iconic Grand al-Nuri Mosque.
Following this strategic victory, early September Iraqi forces and PMF volunteers liberated, Tal Afar, another major bastion of ISIS in the country.
Last month, the Iraqi government has liberated over 90 percent of the country’s territory from ISIS Takfiri terrorist group.
