Iraqi forces achieved major progress in operations to liberate areas to the west of Baghdad on the border with Fallujah, the Baghdad operations command announced on Thursday (June 16th).
"The Iraqi army has liberated the villages of al-Khodr, al-Khudhair and al-Salem, 42 kilometres west of Baghdad," the command said in a statement.
"Joint Iraqi forces have inflicted losses on the terrorists and retaken the three villages in spite of the bad weather in the area," the statement said.
The area of al-Ersan in Baghdad also has been isolated from south-east Fallujah where ISIL has a presence, the statement added.
