Iraqi Army Retakes ISIL-Occupied Region in Anbar Province

Iraqi security forces reportedly managed to retake the ISIL-captured Jubbah region in Iraq’s western Anbar province.

DUBAI (Sputnik) – Iraqi security forces with the assistance of people’s militia managed to retake the ISIL-captured strategically important Jubbah region in Iraq’s western Anbar province, Sava radio reported Tuesday.

The offensive is part of Iraq and US-led coalition’s efforts to retake Ramadi, the capital city of Iraq’s Anbar province, which was captured by ISIL fighters in May.

"Joint forces managed to free the Jubbah Region in the Heet District," a people’s militia representative said in the interview with the radio station.

The Ayn Al-Assad air force base, where US specialists train Iraqi security forces and volunteers from the locals, is situated in the region. All operations carried out by the joint forces in the western part of the Anbar province are managed from the airbase.

Since July, approximately 3,000 US-trained Iraqi soldiers have taken up positions surrounding Ramadi in preparation for a pending assault to rid the city of ISIL fighters.

ISIL is an extremist group which has taken over large parts of Syria and Iraq. An international coalition led by the United States has been carrying out airstrikes against the militants’ positions in both countries since 2014.