The Iraqi forces started a military operation on Saturday to improve the security of the country’s western desert and the border provinces of Anbar and Nineveh as concerns were voiced about using these areas as strongholds and passages

The Iraqi forces started a military operation on Saturday to improve the security of the country’s western desert and the border provinces of Anbar and Nineveh as concerns were voiced about using these areas as strongholds and passages for the militants heading to fight in Syria.
Around 20,000 soldiers were sent the troops to the 600-kilometer border with Syria to start attacking the hideouts of the militants who belong to terrorist groups including al-Qaeda. Also the Iraqi troops are looking to secure a key road that lead to Syria.
“The operation is large and backed up by the air force,” said Staff General Ali Ghaidan Majeed.
Dozens of the terrorist militants have been killed and others have been arrested since the beginning of the military operation that has also left several militants’ households damaged.