Iraqi army retakes village southeast of Mosul

ERBIL, Kurdistan Region (Kurdistan24) – The Iraqi army, in cooperation with international coalition warplanes, liberated Kharaib Jabr village in the Makhmour front, southeast of Mosul, said an Iraqi military officer on Sunday.

On June 11, the Iraqi army launched a military offensive in Makhmour front against the Islamic State (IS). This offensive led to the liberation of an Arab village in the area on Sunday.

Amin Shekhani, an Iraqi military officer, told Kurdistan24 that the forces have freed Kharaib Jabr in the southeast of Mosul, killing several jihadists whose bodies remain under the destroyed houses.

He noted that US-led coalition jets participated in the offensive and played an influential role in freeing the area from IS.

According to the Nineveh command forces, 25 insurgents were killed in the operation.

Shekhani also revealed that IS attacked the army in Nasir village on the same front with four vehicle-borne improvised explosive devices (VBIEDs). He added that all of them were detonated by coalition jets before reaching the army’s positions.

According to the military officer, the army has also controlled the main road between Haji Ali and Shirgat villages near Makhmour front, which is a strategic location.

The Iraqi army’s advance in southeast Mosul has been very slow. An Iraqi commander told Kurdistan24 earlier in May that the slow progress is related to several improvised explosive devices (IEDs) wired by IS terrorists in the area.

This offensive is part of the bigger operation to retake Mosul from IS, who gained control of the city in June 2014.

Editing by Karzan Sulaivany
(Hoshmand Sadiq contributed to this report)