Iraqi raid kills 20 Daesh militants near Syria border

By Ali Jawad and Amer al-Hassani

BAGHDAD (AA) – At least 20 of Daesh militants were killed in an Iraqi airstrike near border with Syria on Monday, according to the Iraqi Defense Ministry.

The raid was initiated upon a tipoff from the pro-government Hashd al-Shaabi militia and targeted the area of Tel Safouk near border with Syria, the ministry said in a statement.

Army Capt. Jabbar Hassan, for his part, said the Hashd al-Shaabi has reinforced its forces along the Iraqi-Syrian border.

“They are tasked with securing Iraq’s border with Syria,” he told Anadolu Agency.

Earlier this month, Iraqi forces expelled Daesh militants from Mosul, which the terrorist group overran along vast swathes of territory in northern and western Iraq in 2014.