Iraq: Senior Daesh militant killed in Anbar airstrike

By Suleiman al-Qubaisi and Ibrahim Salih

BAGHDAD

A senior Daesh militant has been killed in Anbar in western Iraq, a top military commander said Saturday.

The militant, identified as “Abu Arrab”, was killed in a U.S.-led coalition airstrike in western Anbar, Maj. Gen. Qassim al-Muhammadi told Anadolu Agency.

He said a number of Daesh militants were killed in the raid in al-Wasilia village.

Meanwhile, Iraqi forces have captured the last Daesh stronghold in Khalidiya island in western Iraq.

Maj. Gen. Ismail al-Mahlawi said Iraqi forces and allied militiamen managed to liberate al-Bokan’an district.

“Now, the Khalidiya island has been fully liberated from Daesh,” he told Anadolu Agency.

Iraqi forces are currently preparing to launch a major offensive to retake Mosul, the country’s second largest city, which was overran by the militant group in 2014.

Backed by U.S.-led airstrikes, Iraqi forces have managed to retake most of the territory seized by Daesh since 2014. The terrorist group, however, still controls several parts in the country.