Popular crowd forces (al-Hashd al-Shaaabi) on the western axis of the sector of Nineveh operations proceeded to advance towards the village of Umm Alchaababit , located in the west of the district of Tal Afar in a new and broad operation backed by all kinds of weapons and aviation of Iraqi army called it the “second operations of Muhammad Rasul al allah ” , to strengthen its positions and hit elements of Daesh who are stationed in these important villages to achieve its strategic and field objectives to strengthen the process of domination and being able to control on the center of Kairouan district of al-Hadar area.
This advance comes in the context of the process of control that has been carried out a few days ago on the center and areas of al-Hadar which saw fierce and serious battles that had achieved important and advanced field results represented by the withdrawal of leaders and fighters of Daesh in a period of record time that did not exceed “48 hours”.
The operation of liberation of the center of the al-Hadar area has achieved two fundamental and important tasks:
1. The completion of the confrontation line with elements Daesh and the control of the fighters of popular crowd on the important areas and villages close to the Iraqi-Syrian border that enable these forces to renew their grip and control over the strategic goal pursued by Iranian forces and its advisers of the military and security leaders in the concentration towards the area of the Iraqi-Syrian border.
2. The advance with a width of 60-70 km from the center of al-Hadar area to the depth of the common border with Syria and surround the villages and the areas of Tal Afar to sustain the momentum process on the presence of the leaders of Daesh and prevent them from movement and surrender and make them to lose the most important element that help them on the confrontation that is to start the offensive and attack on the popular crowd sites and its fighters in these field areas.
And this directive and combat manner was achieved according to new data on the ground , represented by the participation of elements and fighters of the popular crowd and provide support and backing from the advanced field artillery and Iraqi Army Aviation and Air Force.
The Rawabet Center for Research and Strategic Studies has indicated long ago in an article published under the title ” motives and goals of the Iranian field transformation in Iraq , on ” October 20 , 2015, and an article entitled ” Tehran issued orders and Baghdad carry out ” on February 2, 2016 to the course and the goals of the battle and selected its path by the adoption of the passage of al-Hadar area as a starting line and a strategic goal pursued by the security and military services of Iran to extend its influence and presence on the Iraqi-Syrian border area and sustain the momentum of military operations towards the Syrian depth to achieve communication and the continued supply for the transfer of the battle inside Syrian territory, and support the political regime in Damascus and tighten its control and influence in the Syrian depth to achieve the basic purpose of moving from Iraqi territory.
The Iraqi Studies Unit.
Rawabet Center for Research and Strategic Studies