Iraqi forces recapture dam in Diyala

The Iraqi army has reportedly managed to retake control of a dam situated northeast of the capital, Baghdad, after fierce battles with Takfiri militants from the ISIL terrorist group.

On Saturday, Iraqi security sources said government troops backed by a group of volunteer forces had successfully retaken the dam in the town of Muqdadiyah in the country’s eastern province of Diyala.

The new gain was achieved after days of intense clashes between Iraqi forces and ISIL militants in the area.

“We are now in full control of the dam,” said a senior Iraqi army official, speaking on condition of anonymity, adding that seven ISIL extremists had been killed during the final stage of the military operation.

ISIL terrorists have so far made numerous attempts to control dams across the violence-torn state.

Last month, ISIL briefly seized control of Iraq’s largest dam in the northern city of Mosul. However, Iraqi special forces and Kurdish Peshmerga troops managed to recapture the dam and secure the area near the strategic structure.

Over the past few weeks, Iraqi forces have killed a large number of Takfiri terrorists in their mop-up operations across the Arab country.

The ISIL terrorists currently control large swathes of territory Syria and Iraq. They have carried out heinous crimes in the two countries, including mass executions and beheadings of people.

MKA/NN/AS