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Iraqi troops recapture town northwest of Ramadi

Tuesday, 05 January 2016 3:26 PM [ Last Update: Thursday, 07 January 2016 11:55 AM ]

Iraqi government forces and members of Iraq's elite counter-terrorism service carry the body of a comrade during battles with Daesh terrorists as they try to secure all the neighborhoods of the city of Ramadi, January 4, 2016. ©AFP

Iraqi counter-terrorism forces have taken back a town northwest of Ramadi, the capital of the province of Anbar, inflicting losses on the Takfiri Daesh terrorist group.

In a statement released on Tuesday, the media group covering the Iraqi battle against militants said Barvanah was liberated in an operation which also left tens of Daesh elements dead, Iraq's al-Qadir TV reported.

The report further added that the Iraqi security forces, backed by tribesmen, managed to thwart a Daesh attack on the Barvanah-al-Khasfa road, destroying at least 50 armored vehicles.

Located some 90 kilometers (55 miles) from the Iraqi capital city of Baghdad, Ramadi became a flashpoint after the Iraqi military started the campaign to liberate the strategic city a few months ago.

The Iraqi army announced that they were in full control of Ramadi on December 28, 2015. Portions of the city, however, remain to be cleansed of terrorists. Iraqi Defense Ministry officials have said it will take more time for the clean-up to be accomplished.

Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi walks with his security detail in the city of Ramadi, December 29, 2015. ©Reuters

Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi toured Ramadi following its liberation. He said the recapture of the strategic city would pave the way for Iraq’s long-anticipated offensive into the city of Mosul, the capital of Nineveh Province, which has been under the control of Daesh since the summer of 2014.

Meanwhile, Iraqi Air Force destroyed a Daesh oil convoy in the south of the northern Nineveh Province, al-Sumaria television news network quoted a military source as saying on Tuesday.

The source, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said a warplane bombed a Daesh convoy "transferring oil from al-Qiyara refinery, 85km south of Nineveh."

The airstrike "destroyed the convoy and killed 15 Daesh terrorists," according to the source.

The northern and western parts of Iraq have been plagued by gruesome violence ever since Daesh mounted an offensive in the country in June 2014. The militants have been committing vicious crimes against all ethnic and religious communities in Iraq, including Shias, Sunnis, Kurds and Christians.

The Iraqi army together with volunteer fighters has been engaged in operations to liberate militant-controlled regions. They have managed to liberate some key towns and villages from the grips of Daesh, including Tikrit and Baiji in Salahuddin Province.

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