Iraq’s Hashd Shaabi volunteer forces announced late Tuesday that the military operation – dubbed “Will of Victory-3” – was over, stressing the mission was accomplished in the offensive taking place south of Mosul.
The media office of the Hashd – also known as the Popular Mobilization Forces (PMF) – said more than 10 brigades of the volunteer forces took part in the operation along with several brigades of the Iraqi armed forces.
Several areas in Nineveh and Diyala provinces were cleansed from ISIL terror group, the Hashd media office announced in a statement.
143 towns were inspected by the allied forces, the statement said, adding that several roads linking areas of Diyala and Nineveh were secured.
17 ISIL posts along with two tunnels were destroyed by the PMF and armed forces, the statement said.
Four tank trucks loaded with petrol were destroyed along with several equipments used in petroleum refining, the Hashd media office said, adding that the allied forces also dismantled explosive devices planted by ISIL terrorists.
“Operation Will of Victory – 3” started on Monday and both Iraqi armed forces and units of the PMF took part in.
On Monday, Deputy Commander of PMF, Abu Mahdi Al-Muhandis called on the Iraqi forces to pursue Daesh sleeper cells in Iraq, referring to the Arabic acronym of the terror group.
While Iraq formally declared victory against ISIL in late 2017, a few months after ousting the terror group from its stronghold of Mosul, the capital of Nineveh province, ISIL sleeper cells have kept up hit-and-run attacks in isolated parts of Iraq, targeting government checkpoints, public infrastructure and local officials.
Many terrorists live in tunnel networks established by ISIL and stocked with the necessary food, and they operate in cells of five to 10 people.
Source: Hashd Shaabi Media Office
