Daesh Takfiris on the run in Iraq's Anbar Province
The Daesh Takfiri militants are fleeing the areas under their control in Iraq's western province of Anbar, with an Iraqi military spokesman saying the terrorist group has pulled its militants out of three towns in the conflict-ridden province.
The majority of Daesh militants “in Hit, Rutbah and Kubaysah have fled through the desert to other regions," said military spokesman Yahya Rasool on Sunday.
Rassol also said that an operation has begun to “hunt them down with Iraqi aircraft."
"Hit is surrounded by Iraqi forces from the south and north. Thousands of families have fled the area to meet our forces," he added.
Meanwhile, a member of the Anbar provincial council said that at least 80 Daesh members were arrested as they were trying to flee the liberated districts of Zankurah, Albu Tayeban and the village of al Asriyah in the northwest of Ramadi.
Earlier on Sunday, an army general, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said that Daesh militants have completely left Rutbah and gone towards al-Qa'im.
Qa'im is a Daesh bastion on Iraq’s border with Syria.
"Daesh's armed men started pulling out last night and completed their withdrawal this morning. Rutbah is now free of Daesh,” the general added.
Rutbah mayor Imad Ahmed also confirmed the report, saying Daesh has no armed men there now.
"This withdrawal looks real, a consequence of their losses in Anbar, notably the retaking by the security forces of Ramadi, of areas east of Ramadi and the progress towards Hit," Ahmed added.
Iraqi forces established full control over the city of Ramadi in February and have launched operations in areas around the provincial city to free more regions from Takfiri militants.
Counter-terrorism forces, army soldiers, police and allied volunteer fighters have been conducting a joint operation since March 1 aimed at retaking militant-held areas near the capital, Baghdad.
The northern and western parts of Iraq have been plagued by violence ever since Daesh Takfiri terrorists began their march through the Iraqi territory in June 2014.
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