U.S. defense officials claim at least 250 Islamic State fighters were killed and around 40 trucks destroyed in a series of US-led airstrikes near the Iraqi city of Fallujah, which was a key Islamist stronghold before being recently liberated by Iraqi forces. If those figures are correct, the strike would be one of the most deadly hits against the jihadist group in history.
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IS has since suffered major defeats when Iraqi forces, backed by US -led coalition, drove the extremists out of several key cities, including the city of Fallujah, which was retaken by Iraqi forces earlier this week.
Iraq’s Counterterrorism Service released an image showing a destroyed militant vehicle after Coalition and Iraqi security forces targeted Islamic State fighters on Wednesday.
Nearly 200 extra British troops are being sent to Iraq to help the country with its fight against so-called Islamic State (IS), Defence Secretary Michael Fallon has announced.
Amaq news agency earlier said Islamic State had killed 40 rebel fighters and captured 15 more in a counterattack at the Hamadan air base north-west of the city.
Omar Abu Leila, a Europe-based activist from the Deir el-Zour province, where the fighting is taking place, said the New Syrian Army and IS clashed near Boukamal, and that some IS commanders are fleeing the town amid airstrikes by the USA -led coalition. News on Wednesday. “I’d be surprised if Daesh is not trying to carry out that kind of attack in the United States”.
After a nearly month long offensive led by the USA coalition, almost all ISIS fighters were pushed out of the city and into small, isolated suburbs.
On the battlefield, the USA -led campaign against Daesh has moved up a gear in recent weeks, with the government declaring victory over Daesh in Falluja. “Our forces retreated to avoid further losses, as the ISIS radical group brought huge military reinforcements to the area”.
He said, “We’ve made, I think, some significant progress, along with our coalition partners, in Syria and Iraq, where most of the ISIS members are resident right now”.
Government forces backed by militias recaptured the city a week ago.
As many as 2,000 Islamic State terrorists and up to 700 vehicles have been caught under heavy helicopter fire after breaking out of a trap in the Hassi area south of Fallujah, according to front-line Iraqi military officials.
Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi, after victory in Fallujah, said that Mosul would be next.
Fragments of the convoy were able to move on and some more vehicles were destroyed in subsequent strikes.
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But Iraqi Kurdish military commanders warn that Mosul will be a much tougher fight that will require a political-military agreement between all the parties involved.
