According to the Iraqi defense ministry, the country launched a large-scale military operation against the Daesh/ISIS terror group in five provinces.
The offensive targets Daesh/ISIS remnants in the provinces of Anbar, Nineveh, Salah al-Din, Diyala, and Kirkuk, a ministry statement said.
Forces from the army, as well as border guards and the pro-government Hashd al-Shaabi militia, are taking part in the operation.
Last month, the first phase of the anti-Daesh/ISIS operation took place, in which 19 Daesh/ISIS hideouts and six tunnels were destroyed. According to Iraqi authorities, a large cache of explosive materials was also seized.
By reclaiming all territories the terrorist group controlled since the summer of 2014, which was estimated to be about a third of the country’s territory, Iraq declared victory over Daesh/ISIS in 2017.
However, sleeper cells are still maintained by the terrorist group in large areas in Iraq and occasionally launch sporadic attacks.
