Iraq yesterday brought all of its territory still held by the Islamic State group under attack, throwing the extremists on the defensive across their self-proclaimed “caliphate” extending into neighboring Syria.
Security forces backed by paramilitary units launched a dawn assault on a besieged Islamic State-held pocket around the northern town of Hawija, just days after attacking the militants’ only other foothold in the country.
The territory still held by the group has been dwindling fast since its defeat in Iraq’s second city of Mosul in July, with stronghold after stronghold coming under assault on both sides of the border with Syria.
Photo: AFP
Most of its onetime Syrian bastion of Raqqa, long a byword for its most gruesome atrocities, is now in the hands of US-backed fighters, while elsewhere in Syria the Islamic State has suffered major losses to Russian-backed government forces.
Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi predicted that the assault on the Hawija region would swiftly bring a new victory against the crumbling militants.
The mainly Sunni Arab enclave, which was bypassed by government forces in their advance north to Mosul last year, has been a bastion of insurgency ever since the first year of the US-led occupation in 2003.
After the defeat of the Islamic State in Mosul and the recapture of adjacent areas, Hawija and neighboring towns form the last enclave still held by the group in Iraq, apart from a section of the Euphrates Valley downstream from the border with Syria.
“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 DAESH’s terrorist groups,” Abadi said, using an Arabic acronym for the group.
“Greetings to all of our forces, who are waging several battles of liberation at the same time and who are winning victory after victory, and this will be another, with the help of God,” he added.
A correspondent heard heavy shelling around the Islamic State-held town of Sharqat, where Iraqi forces have been massing in recent days.
Humanitarian organizations expressed concern for the fate of civilians caught up in the offensive.
“The 85,000 civilians still in and around Hawija, including around 40,000 children, now face a terrifying time as they worry about getting caught up in the fighting or being hit by an airstrike,” International Rescue Committee acting country director Jason Kajer said. “For those who decide to flee, there is a significant risk of being targeted by ISIS snipers or killed by a mine.”
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