MIDEAST-CRISIS/SAMARRA FIGHTING Iraq retakes desert area from Islamic State - army

Record ID: 140636

  • Title: MIDEAST-CRISIS/SAMARRA FIGHTING Iraq retakes desert area from Islamic State - army
  • Date: 31st August 2015
  • Summary: SAMARRA, IRAQ (AUGUST 30, 2015) (ORIGINALLY 4:3)(REUTERS) SOLDIERS BESIDE CANNON SHELLS CANNON FIRING LAUNCHER FIRING MISSILES FROM BACK OF TRUCK EXPLOSIONS / SMOKE AND FIRE VARIOUS OF MILITARY VEHICLES FULL OF TROOPS COMMANDER OF INFANTRY TROOPS ADDRESSING THEM AFTER END OF OPERATIONS (SOUNDBITE)(Arabic) COMMANDER OF 15TH INFANTRY DIVISION, MAJOR GENERAL IMAD MAJHOUL AL-SILAWI, SAYING: "The morale amongst Da'esh [Islamic State] had totally collapsed. They lost their balance and withdrew to the far edges of the desert. They left behind the bodies of their dead without being able to evacuate them." VARIOUS OF TROOPS OF THE 15TH INFANTRY BRIGADE GATHERING TO DEPART BESIDE AL-MAQSHOUQ PALACE (SOUNDBITE)(Arabic) SOLDIER, SERGEANT ABDUL SALAM ABDUL AZIZ, SAYING: "We completely liberated Samarra's desert from the Da'esh terrorists and we are coming soon to Nineveh, God willing." MILITARY VEHICLE CARRYING TROOPS AWAY SOLDIER HOLDING UP ISLAMIC STATE FLAG VARIOUS OF TROOPS LEAVING
  • Embargoed: 15th September 2015 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: Iraq
  • Country: Iraq
  • Topics: General
  • Reuters ID: LVA2SV0CG293HD7LNH4C0TZFCF49
  • Aspect Ratio: 16:9
  • Story Text: EDITORS PLEASE NOTE: THIS EDIT CONTAINS MATERIAL WHICH WAS ORIGINALLY 4:3
    Iraq said on Sunday (August 30) it had retaken the desert area west of Samarra from Islamic State.
    The government said troops had chased out the militants and destroyed booby-trapped vehicles, military hardware and a large quantities of weapons.
    The Iraqi air force carried out air strikes ahead of the advancing ground forces of the 15th Infantry Division, who were reinforced by the Hashid al-Shaabi Shi'ite militia.
    "The morale amongst Da'esh had totally collapsed. They lost their balance and withdrew to the far edges of the desert. They left behind the bodies of their dead without being able to evacuate them," said Major General Imad Majhoul al-Silawi, addressing his troops as they prepared to leave after the operation.
    The operation was part of a wider assault to recapture all the remaining parts of Salahuddin province, and then move down to recapture Anbar.
    "We completely liberated Samarra's desert from the Da'esh terrorists and we are coming soon to Nineveh, God willing," said sergeant Abdul Salam Abdul Aziz.
    Known as Jazeerat Samarra, the recaptured area lies west of Samarra city, 100 km (62 miles) north of Baghdad.
    It is now being held by the 5th Division Federal Police Force after the withdrawal of the army.
    Anbar's capital, Ramadi, was overrun by the insurgents in mid-May in the most significant setback for Iraqi forces since a US-led coalition began bombing the militants in summer of last year.
    Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi vowed to launch a quick counter-offensive to retake the city but Shi'ite paramilitary groups have taken charge of the offensive and say remaining militant strongholds in Salahuddin province must be cleared first.
  • Copyright Holder: REUTERS
  • Copyright Notice: (c) Copyright Thomson Reuters 2015. Open For Restrictions - http://about.reuters.com/fulllegal.asp
  • Usage Terms/Restrictions: None
Register