Iraq announces assault on second of two remaining jihadist enclaves

BAGHDAD: Iraq brought all of its territory still held by the Islamic State group under attack yesterday, announcing an assault on the second of two remaining jihadist enclaves.

Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi said the attack on the besieged IS pocket around the mainly Sunni Arab northern town of Hawija, began at dawn and predicted it would bring a new victory against the crumbling jihadists.

The enclave, which was bypassed by government forces in their drive north to second city Mosul last year, has been a bastion of insurgency ever since the first year of the US-led occupation in 2003.

After the defeat of IS in Mosul in July and the recapture of adjacent areas, Hawija and neighbouring towns form the last enclave still held by IS apart from a section of the Euphrates Valley downstream from the Iraqi border.

“At the dawn of a new day, we announce the launch of the first stage of the liberation of Hawija, in accordance with our commitment to our people to liberate all Iraqi territory and eradicate Daesh’s terrorist groups,” Abadi said, using an Arabic acronym for IS.

“Greetings to all of our forces, who are waging several battles of liberation at the same time and who are winning victory after victory and this will be another, with the help of God,” he said. — AFP