Advancement of Iraqi Forces on Three Fronts Against the Islamic State

According to Iraqi officials, on Sunday, October 18, Iraqi forces successfully advanced in three axes in areas controlled by the Islamic State (formerly ISIS) and have taken control of additional sections of the city of Baiji, currently moving towards the cities of Ramadi and Hawija. An unnamed senior official from the Iraqi police told AFP that Iraqi forces, including thousands of armed individuals from the Iran-backed Popular Mobilization Forces (Hashd al-Shaabi), have now taken control of more areas in the city of Baiji and its surroundings from ISIS. He added that "they are still in the process of clearing some neighborhoods in Baiji, including Tamim in the west and the market area in the city center, and some ISIS members are still present in these neighborhoods." This Iraqi official described the latest advances in the Baiji area as "the biggest victory since June 10, 2014," when ISIS had rapidly taken control of vast areas in this part of Iraq. Baiji, located 200 kilometers north of Baghdad, houses Iraq's largest refinery; Iraqi army forces and allied militias have been preparing a large-scale attack in the Baiji area since last week. Meanwhile, reports indicate that the Iraqi army and police, with the help of hundreds of armed Sunni tribal members integrated into the Popular Mobilization Forces, launched an operation around the city of Hawija, west of Kirkuk, on Sunday. An unnamed senior Iraqi army official told AFP that this operation began in two areas, one in western Kirkuk and around "Fatha," and the other in southern Kirkuk near the "Alas" oil field. Additionally, reports suggest that Kurdish Peshmerga forces have also been advancing southwest from the city of Kirkuk, which they control, in recent weeks. In another development, Iraqi forces have also tightened the siege around the city of Ramadi, the capital of Anbar province, which has been under ISIS control since May. The Iraqi Counter-Terrorism Service is leading the Ramadi operation, supported by security forces, Sunni tribes opposed to ISIS, and air support from the U.S. coalition. A coalition spokesperson stated last week that the number of ISIS fighters still present in the city of Ramadi is estimated to be between 600 and 1,000. In this context, a senior al-Qaeda leader was killed in a coalition airstrike in Syria. The Iraqi army and Shiite militias have regained a large part of the Baiji refinery.