Iraqi forces are slowly trying to undermine Islamic State in operations like the one near the Himreen mountains.
It is designed to isolate Islamic State fighters controlling the towns of Jalawla and Saadiya and cut off the areas they seized northeast of the city of Baquba, which is held by Iraqi security forces and Shi’ite militias.
Government forces and Kurdish peshmerga fighters have been trying for months to take over Jalawla and Saadiya, located northeast of Baghdad.
ANBAR OPERATION
Islamic State swept through northern Iraq in the summer, facing little resistance from U.S.-trained government troops.
The group made up of Iraqis, other Arabs and foreign fighters then threatened to march on Baghdad, rattling the Shi’ite-led government.
Much may depend on whether the performance of Iraq’s army and security forces improves.
Their advances over the weekend and other operations indicate they rely heavily on support from Shi’ite militias whose alleged human rights abuses against minority Sunnis have fueled sectarian bloodshed and helped destabilize Iraq.
The next major security operation is expected to target the town of Amriyat al-Falluja, located in the Sunni heartland of Anbar province, just 40 km (25 miles) from Baghdad.
The Sunni insurgents have been surrounding it for weeks. Security officials said government forces are preparing to try and break the siege. Islamic State also appears to be gearing up for another battle.
Militants in the nearby town of Falluja, an Islamic State bastion, used loudspeakers attached to captured police vehicles to tell supporters to expect good news from Amriyat al-Falluja.
“Be cheerful. We have 100 suicide bombers preparing for the battle of Amriyat al-Falluja and we have more if the situation warrants,” was the message conveyed, a witness told Reuters from Falluja.