US-led coalition forces hit 37 ISIS targets in Saladin

ERBIL, Kurdistan Region — Coalition warplanes on Tuesday conducted a series of airstrikes against 37 Islamic State (ISIS) targets during a joint operation with the Iraqi Counter Terrorism Forces (ICT) in northwestern Iraq.

The airstrikes were in assistance of an ICT operation targeting ISIS remnants in Kanous Island, Saladin province.

“Our heroes at @IraqiCTS (Iraqi Counter Terrorism Forces) implemented a heroic operation in Saladin province to clear confined areas between northern and southern of Kanous and deserts of Salahuddin. The operation was assisted by our partners at @CJTFOIR (International Coalition Forces) through airstrikes, and they have successfully destroyed 37 targets,” tweeted Iraqi Security Media Cell spokesperson Yehia Rasool on Tuesday.

US Central Command (CENTCOM) confirmed the airstrikes in a Tuesday tweet. 

“Coalition warplanes conducted a series of airstrikes to support the Iraqi Counter Terrorism Forces to clear areas such as Kanous and  deserts of of Saladin province. These operations prevent the crossing of Daesh from Syria and Jazira Desert to Mosul, Makhmour and Kirkuk,”  CENTCOM tweeted. 

ICT announced on Monday that they had killed 15 ISIS militants and arrested 9 others in a military rappel operation in the desert of Saladin province with the help of US-led coalition warplanes.

ISIS seized vast areas of Iraq and Syria in the summer of 2014.  Although Iraqi’s former Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi declared the group defeated in Iraq in December 2017, ISIS remnants and sleeper cells remain active in parts of the country, including Saladin. 

Iraqi security forces troops have, in collaboration with various other domestic forces, conducted a series of ‘Will of Victory’ operations in an effort to eradicate the remaining ISIS presence in Iraq. Operations commenced on July 7.