Iraqi forces on Friday recaptured the town of Qaim from Islamic State, Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi said.
In a statement, Abadi said the city was retaken “in record time” after Iraqi troops entered the city earlier on Friday.
Earlier, Iraqi forces claimed to have captured the Husaybah border crossing in Al Qaim in western Anbar province, just across the border from Al Bukamal in Syria. The operation to capture Al Qaim and Rawa, the two remaining ISIS-held urban centers in Iraq was launched by units from the Iraqi army, the Counter-Terrorism Services and the Hashd al-Shaabi on October 25, and has mainly focused on the Qaim area.
Separately, the Syrian Arab Army and its allies captured from ISIS the city Deir Ezzor, a strategically important link between northern and eastern Syria.
We join #Iraq PM Al-Abadi in congratulating Iraqi Security Forces for clearing #ISIS from Al-Qaim & liberating the city in remarkable time! pic.twitter.com/QnPGywa3Ur
— OIR Spokesperson (@OIRSpox) November 3, 2017
