Iraqi military forces managed to prevent a suicide attack

 Iraqi forces managed to prevent a suicide attack from ISIS extremist group in Anbar in Jarf Al-Sakher area between Anbar and Babel. The security forces managed to control a car bomb and motorcycle possessed by the extremist groups. Meanwhile, ISIS extremist group issued a list of people who will be sentenced to death by the militant during the coming period.

Twenty-one Islamic State militants were killed on Tuesday in a military operation southwest of Iraq, Petra news agency reported. Army Colonel Ahmed al-Shemari said troops foiled an IS attack against military sites in al-Nakhib region, southwest of Baghdad on Tuesday, leaving twenty-one IS members killed.

The clashes, which took place near the Iraqi-Saudi borders, lasted for three hours, during which troops confiscated weapons and vehicles, Shemari said. In related news, a military source from Anbar Operations Command said the army’s eighth division exploded a booby-trapped vehicles and explosives, west of Ramadi. No casualties were reported, the source told AlSumaria News.

Earlier on the day, pro-government paramilitary forces of “Al-Jazeera Shield”, affiliated with the tribal mobilization forces killed two IS members and seized their ammunition truck west of Ramadi.

Iraqi troops were able to a return life back to normal in the biggest cities of Anbar including Fallujah, Ramadi and others after recapturing them. However, Anbar’s western cities of Annah, Qaim and Rawa are still held by the extremist group since 2014, when it emerged to proclaim a self-styled Islamic Caliphate. There has not been an officially-declared military campaign to free those regions, but the province’s military command launched a brief assault early January that managed to recapture some western villages before stopping again.

In the same context, Tens of Islamic State militants were killed as Iraqi jets launched several airstrikes in Anbar province. A statement by the Defense Ministry’s War Media Cell said Iraqi jets launched several airstrikes that left an IS rest house and a weapon stash destroyed. “The strikes also targeted militants, killing tens of them west of Haditha lake,” the statement added.

Haditha city is fully controlled by security forces and tribal fighters, however, IS launches attacks there every now and then. The regions in the north of the lake are desert ones with a number of houses that are used by IS militants as hideouts. Ealier on the day, Petra news agency quoted Army Colonel Ahmed al-Shemari as saying that 21 IS fighters were killed as military troops foiled an IS attack against military sites in al-Nakhib region, near the Iraqi-Saudi borders.

Iraqi troops were able to return life back to normal in the biggest cities of Anbar including Fallujah, Ramadi and others after recapturing them. However, Anbar’s western towns of Annah, Qaim and Rawa are still held by the extremist group since 2014, when it emerged to proclaim a self-styled Islamic Caliphate. Fighter jets from the Iraqi army and the international coalition have also regularly pounded IS locations in the province.

On the political side, Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi said Tuesday that military plans were ready to invade Islamic State’s last haven in Nineveh, asserting in the meantime that foreign militants would not be spared accountability.

Speaking during his weekly press briefing, Abadi said “a special plan” had been laid down for the liberation of the town of Tal Afar, a major IS stronghold west of Mosul that has been isolated encircled by security forces and allied paramilitary troops.

Abadi declared earlier this month that the city of Mosul, IS’s largest stronghold in Iraq, had been recaptured from the militant group. A spokesperson of the U.S.-led coalition backing the Iraqi campaign against IS said he believes the next battle would be for the liberation of Tal Afar.

Also during the press briefing, Abadi stressed that foreign Islamic State fighters arrested by security forces would not be spared accountability. “We will not exclude foreign terrorists detained by our security forces from the law,” the prime minister stated.

Thousands of foreign Islamic State militants were either killed or arrested during more than eight months of U.S.-backed operations to retake Mosul. Abadi’s remarks come a few days after security forces apprehended several German females affiliated with the group.