Security forces free town from IS militants in western Iraq

Iraqi security forces on Thursday liberated the town of Heet from Islamic State (IS) militants in Iraq's largest province of Anbar, the Iraqi military said.

Security forces and allied paramilitary Sunni tribal fighters ended their offensive to liberate Heet, 160 km west of the Iraqi capital Baghdad, from IS militants after killing dozens of them, a military statement quoted commander of anti-terrorism forces as saying.

The troops raised the Iraqi flag at the last part of the town after 14 days of fierce clashes with the extremist militants, Lieutenant General Abul Ghani al-Asadi said.

The troops were slowed during their advance into the town in order to give thousands of civilians trapped there an opportunity to flee their homes.

Early in April, the troops started their offensive to free the town from IS militants, and managed to seize the government compound and raised the Iraqi flag on a main building after IS militants withdrew from the downtown and eastern part of Heet, but clashes continued to flush out remaining IS militants from the town's western part.

Last December, the troops recovered Ramadi, the provincial capital of the country's largest province of Anbar.

Iraqi security forces and allied Sunni paramilitary tribal units have been battling IS militants for re-control of large territories in northern and western Iraq that have been seized by the IS since June 2014. Endit