ISIS claimed that three suicide attackers – Abi Basmala al-Ansari, Abi Abd Allah al-Ansari and Abi Adi al-Ansari – attacked Thursday positions of the Iraqi Army in Al-Shuhada district in the center of Al-Baghdadi City northwest of Heet. ISIS claimed that two of the attackers blow up their explosive belts while Iraqi forces managed to kill the third, according to ISIS, the attack killed and wounded a number of Iraqi soldiers.
From its side, an Iraqi security source announced that 5 suicide bombers attacked Al-Baghdadi city instead of 3 announced by ISIS. According to the source, Iraqi Security Forces killed four of the attackers quickly, but the fifth managed to escape and blew himself up inside a house, killing 6 civilians. The source confirmed that the situation is currently stable in Al-Baghdadi City.
It’s believed that the attackers infiltrated Heet area coming Mosul Desert. ISIS still controls a large part of the Syrian-Iraqi border. For now the Iraqi Army’s priorities don’t include securing the Iraqi-Syrian border. The Iraqi Army aims to eliminate ISIS in Hawija area in Kirkuk and Tal Afar in Nineveh.
“For now the Iraqi Army’s priorities don’t include securing the Iraqi-Syrian border. The Iraqi Army aims to eliminate ISIS in Hawija area in Kirkuk and Tal Afar in Nineveh.”
I sure hope this is wrong, otherwise ISUS trash is going to be in the Al Qaim area for quite a long time.
Not help full at all if SAA wants to make a move on Al Bukamal (their right flank will be left wide open to DAESH counter attack).
It would be up to PMU to deal with that, it seems. That area could have been cleared two months ago.