Hashd al-Shaabi retakes four villages, Shingal-Qairawan main road in west Mosul

ERBIL, Kurdistan Region (Kurdistan24) – Hashd al-Shaabi, also known as the Popular Mobilization Forces (PMF), on Saturday announced its troops had liberated several areas from the Islamic State (IS) in western Mosul.

In a statement published on their website, the PMF revealed their forces had freed four villages from IS.

The liberated areas are Umm Hijra, Abid, Mughaira, and Khinaisi near Qairawan town in northern Iraq.

The statement also mentioned the forces controlled and secured the main road between Qairawan and Sinjar (Shingal) city.

The troops are several kilometers away from the center of Qairawan, according to a military commander in the area.

IS occupied Qairawan and the areas surrounding Mosul in June 2014 following their emergence in the north of the country.

On Friday, Hashd al-Shaabi announced the new military operation to retake Qairawan and the surrounding villages in the town.

As the PMF advances, Iraqi federal and counter-terrorism units face fierce fighting in western Mosul.

The area is heavily populated with civilians and narrow streets which prevent the forces from advancing quickly.

In a statement on Saturday, Iraqi counter-terrorism (CT) announced the liberation of the Hawi al-Kanissa area in northwestern Mosul as well as control over the west and south of the Tigris River.

Editing by Karzan Sulaivany