The Iraqi army has launched a three-pronged offensive aimed at liberating the final Daesh-held areas in the country’s western Anbar province.
The army announced early on Thursday morning that the offensive to liberate the towns of Rawa and Qa'im, located close to the Syrian border, will be the final operation in the country against the Takfiri terrorist group.
On Wednesday, the Iraqi air force dropped leaflets on the two towns warning civilians about the upcoming operation.
“Your security forces are now coming to liberate you…Your security forces are now coming to liberate you,” read the leaflets.
Earlier this month, Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi said Daesh will be totally defeated in the country by the end of the year.
The outfit started its terror campaign in the Arab country in 2014 and overran vast expanses of its soil.
With the help of volunteer fighters with the Popular Mobilization Units, Iraqi government troops then began to push back against the terrorists. The joint forces retook Ramadi, the capital of Anbar province, in December the next year, in the most decisive victory against the terrorists until then.
Daesh has, ever since, been losing district after district in the face of advances by the Iraqi army and allied forces.
Most notably, the terror group lost the northern city of Mosul, its last urban Iraqi stronghold, in July.