Iraqi forces recaptured more areas from Islamic State militants on Tuesday as operations continue to retake the group’s last bastions in western Anbar. The Joint Operations Command’s War Media Cell said the forces recaptured several villages near the town of Qaim besides the town’s “phosphate factory”.

According to the statement, troops became 13 kilometers away from central Qaim. Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi declared Thursday the launch of operations to clear the towns of Rawa and Qaim, Islamic State’s last havens on the borders with Syria.

Since Islamic State militants took over large areas of Iraq and Syria to establish a self-styled “caliphate” in 2014, Iraqi government forces, backed paramilitary troops and U.S.-led coalition, launched a wide-scale campaign to retake those regions.

So far, the offensives managed to retake Mosul, the group’s former capital, the town of Tal Afar, west of Nineveh, Kirkuk’s town of Hawija and Anbar’s Annah. Local authorities and human rights agencies believe Islamic State members are holding tens of thousands of civilians in their western Anbar havens as future human shields, having killed hundreds for attempting to escape.

A monthly count by the United Nations Assistance Mission in Iraq (UNAMI), which excludes security members deaths, said 196 civilians were killed, while 381 others were wounded due to violence and armed conflicts during the month of September.

In the same context, Eight Islamic State suicide bombers were killed by Iraqi security forces on Monday in Kikruk, the head of the army operations was quoted saying.

Fadhel Omran, head of the Kirkuk Operations, told Alsumaria News that troops killed eight IS members vested with explosive belts at a hideout in Hawija, southwest of Kirkuk. He said troops have also run into an explosives depot belonging to the group in Akoula village.

The Iraqi government declared the recapture of Hawija from IS militants early October. An Iraqi, U.S.-backed campaign has managed, since October 2016, to recapture Islamic State’s former capital, Mosul, the town of Tal Afar, Hawija and western Anbar’s town of Annah. IS members are currently cornered in Anbar’s Qaim and Rawa, on the borders with Syria.

In Baghdad, A bomb blast took place on Monday in south of Baghdad, leaving five persons wounded, a security source said. “The blast took place near stores in al-Latifiya region, south of Baghdad,” the source told Baghdad Today.

Speaking on condition of anonymity, the source said, “security troops cordoned off the blast spot, while ambulances transferred the wounded to nearest hospital.” Baghdad (IraqiNews.com) A bomb blast took place on Monday in south of Baghdad, leaving five persons wounded, a security source said.

“The blast took place near stores in al-Latifiya region, south of Baghdad,” the source told Baghdad Today. Speaking on condition of anonymity, the source said, “security troops cordoned off the blast spot, while ambulances transferred the wounded to nearest hospital.”

Violence in the country has surged further with the emergence of Islamic State Sunni extremist militants who proclaimed an “Islamic Caliphate” in Iraq and Syria in 2014.

A monthly count by the United Nations Assistance Mission in Iraq (UNAMI), which excludes security members deaths, said 196 civilians were killed, while 381 others were wounded due to violence and armed conflicts during the month of September. The fatalities included 10 foreign nationals. Baghdad was the most affected province with 37 deaths and 157 injuries. Dhi Qar province came in the second place with 82 killed and 93 injured. Anbar came in the third place with 20 killed and 46 injured.

The Iraqi capital has seen almost daily bombings and armed attacks against security members, paramilitary troops and civilians since the Iraqi government launched a wide-scale campaign to retake Islamic State-occupied areas in 2016.

On political side, Prime Minister Haidar al-Abadi on Wednesday discussed with the commander of the Central American Central Command, General Joseph Fotil, the liberation of Iraqi territory. The two sides affirmed the support of logistics and air support, as well as the training and arming of Iraqi forces.
"Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi received the commander of Central American Central Command General Joseph Fotil and his delegation," a statement from the Prime Minister's Office said.

"The meeting discussed the war on terrorism and the liberation of all of Iraq," he said. For his part, Fotil praised the "capabilities of Iraqi forces and their great development and the continued progress in restoring stability in Mosul." Finished