Iraqi Hashd al-Shaabi controls more villages on Syrian border
In a statement on Friday night, Hashd al-Shaabi revealed they had liberated three villages in western Mosul on the Iraq-Syria border.
ERBIL, Kurdistan Region (Kurdistan24) – In a statement on Friday night, Hashd al-Shaabi revealed they had liberated three villages in western Mosul on the Iraq-Syria border.
The Shia unit, also known as the Popular Mobilization Forces (PMF), stated that during a military operation, the troops controlled the villages of Jayer Ghalfas, Tel Sfug, and Jaya in western Mosul.
The forces also claimed they cut the Islamic State’s (IS) main supply road between Iraq and Syria in the western town of al-Baaj.
The PMF added they began digging trenches on the border in an aim to strengthen their defense lines.
According to the statement, with the support of Iraqi warplanes, Hashd al-Shaabi troops have killed 15 IS militants including a senior leader as well as detonating four suicide car bombs.
The region, of strategic location, is also believed to be sensitive due to the presence of Kurdish Peshmerga forces in Sinjar (Shingal) city which is close to territories controlled by Hashd al-Shaabi.
On Thursday, PMF spokesman Ahmed al-Asadi said that “official Iraqi armed forces do not have a presence outside of Iraqi territory.”
“All our operations are under the supervision of the commander of the joint Iraqi military command,” he added.
On May 24, the PMF launched the second operation to retake areas west of Qairawan and reach the town of Baaj near the Syrian border, one of the supply lines for IS in Iraq.
Editing by Karzan Sulaivany
