Iraqi pro-government militias regain control of IS stronghold

Mosul (Iraq), June 4 (IANS) Iraqi pro-government militias regained control on Sunday of an important stronghold of the Islamic State terror group located west of the city of Mosul, near the border with Syria, a military source said.

The leader of the Popular Mobilization Forces (PMF), Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis, said his forces stormed and seized the district of al-Baaj, 130 km west of Mosul, where the offensive to expel the IS from its main stronghold in the country is on, reports Efe.

He said in a statement that the PMF and the Iraqi people celebrated the liberation of al-Baaj, calling the operation to free this border area with Syria "a great achievement".

Al-Muhandis, who praised his militias for continuing the fighting during the holy month of Ramadan, affirmed that these intense clashes had caused human and material casualties in the ranks of the IS but he did not give figures.

He also did not say whether any of his militia fighters perished in the offensive.

The PMF, led by Shias, the second largest branch of Islam, continued to recover territories that are on the border with Syria and which IS fighters are using to flee.

The PMF operate in the territories west of Mosul, while the army and the police fight against the IS inside the city.

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