Baghdad/Xinhua/UNI: Iraqi security forces on Sunday launched an offensive to hunt down remnants of Islamic State (IS) militants in the desert and rugged areas in the provinces of Anbar, Salahudin and Nineveh as well as the border areas with Syria.
The Iraqi soldiers and paramilitary Hashd Shaabi brigades, backed by the Iraqi aircraft, pushed in six routes to search the Jazira desert which extends in the three provinces, the media office of the Joint Operations Command (JOC) said in a statement.
"The operation was launched to enhance security and stability in these areas, pursue terrorist elements and arrest those wanted," the statement said, adding more information will be released later.
The offensive came as the extremist IS militants intensified their attacks on the security forces, including Hashd Shaabi forces, and civilians in the formerly IS-controlled Sunni provinces since the beginning of the holy month of Ramadan, resulting in the killing and wounding of dozens.
The security situation in Iraq has been improving since Iraqi security forces fully defeated the IS militants across the country late in 2017.
However, IS remnants have since melted in urban areas or deserts and rugged areas, carrying out frequent guerilla attacks against security forces and civilians.
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