Iraqi forces have completed a three-day operation backed by the international coalition to clear desert areas near the Syrian border of "Islamic State of Iraq and Syria" (ISIS) pockets, tunnels and weapons caches, the Iraqi army’s al-Jazeera and al-Badiya Command said Tuesday (October 22nd).
"Iraqi army and Border Guard's 1st Brigade forces have combed about 10,000 square kilometres of desert areas," Commander Maj. Gen. Qassim al-Mohammadi told Diyaruna.
Three tunnels and one cache containing weapons, mortars, mostly damaged ammunition and two explosives vests were found, he said.
About 50 landmines and improvised explosive devices (IEDs) found in a field were dismantled, he said, adding that an underground shelter was destroyed.
"The operation received aerial coverage from coalition warplanes that provided the Iraqi forces with aerial images and intelligence," he said.
