PMF liberate five more villages around Qairawan, west Mosul

ERBIL, Kurdistan Region (Kurdistan24) – On Sunday, the Hashd al-Shaabi, also known as Popular Mobilization Forces (PMF), announced the liberation of five villages west of Mosul as they continue to progress in areas around the town of Qairawan.

The forces, backed by Iraqi warplanes, launched a military operation ten days ago to liberate Qairawan and surrounding villages from the Islamic State (IS).

In a statement, the PMF stated that their troops controlled the villages of al-Niliya and Thari al-Waisat located south of Qairawan.

In another announcement, the Hashd al-Shaabi claimed it “succeeded in cutting the supply road of Da’esh [Using the Arabic acronym for IS] between the villages of Hatamiya and Tel Qasab north of Qairawan.”

It also mentioned troops freed the nearby villages of al-Masbas and Sada Zobi’h as well as Ain Fathi.

On Thursday, the PMF gained control of the military airport south of Sinjar (Shingal), not far from the Syrian border.

The PMF's progress in the area has raised fear among Kurds that the Shia forces want to gain a foothold in the region which might eventually lead to clashes.

Recently, Prime Minister of Iraq Haider al-Abadi mentioned there were “concerns” expressed by the Kurds regarding the PMF operation near Shingal, admitting Kurds had not been informed in advance about the offensive, but that "the issue had been fully resolved.”

Editing by G.H. Renaud