Iraqi government troops and paramilitary forces managed Tuesday to recapture the first area as part of an operation targeting Islamic State-held towns in western Anbar, a local official said. Abdul-Karim al-Aani, chairman of Annah town’s council, told Alsumaria News that army and police troops, backed by Popular Mobilization Forces, took over Rayhana region, east of Annah, and raised Iraqi flags above its buildings.

He said a number of Islamic State militants were killed, while a booby-trapped vehicle belonging to them was detonated. Earlier on Tuesday, Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi declared the launch of an operation to clear Islamic State havens in western Anbar, starting with the town of Annah. He promised “a new victory”, adding that IS “will not reap but a humiliating defeat and death”.

Iraqi joint troops managed earlier this week to liberate Akashat region, between Rutba town, on borders with Jordan, and Qaim, on borders with Syria. Anbar’s western towns of Annah, Qaim and Rawa are still held by the extremist group since 2014, when it occupied one third of Iraq to proclaim a self-styled Islamic Caliphate. Iraqi troops were able to return life back to normal in the biggest cities of Anbar including Fallujah, Ramadi and others after recapturing them. Fighter jets from the Iraqi army and the international coalition regularly pound IS locations in the province.

More than twenty Islamic State militants were killed within offensives launched in the group’s holdout in western Anbar, military media reported on Tuesday. In a press release, the War Media Cell said on Tuesday that “the most important outcome of liberation of al-Rayhana and Annah was the murder of twenty-two militants as well as destruction of weapon stash and four booby-trapped vehicles.”

Iraqi government troops and paramilitary forces managed Tuesday to recapture Rayhana region as part of an operation, launched earlier on the day, targeting the region as well as Annah town, in western Anbar. Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi promised “new victory”, earlier on the day, as he declared the launch of an operation to clear Islamic State havens in western Anbar, starting with the town of Annah.

On Saturday, Iraqi joint troops liberated Akashat region, between Rutba town, on borders with Jordan, and Qaim, on borders with Syria. Anbar’s western towns of Annah, Qaim and Rawa are still held by the extremist group since 2014, when it occupied one third of Iraq to proclaim a self-styled Islamic Caliphate. Iraqi troops were able to return life back to normal in the biggest cities of Anbar including Fallujah, Ramadi and others after recapturing them. Fighter jets from the Iraqi army and the international coalition regularly pound IS locations in the province.

On the political side, Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi has said that only Israel supports Iraqi Kurdistan Region’s independence vote, stressing that the planned poll is unacceptable at anytime.

“No state supports Kurdistan’s independence except for Israel.Some Kurdish power believe that Tel Aviv enjoys influence in the United States to back the referendum, but the Israeli lobby there is busy with its own affairs,” Abadi was quoted saying during a meeting late Tuesday with reporters and political analysts in Baghdad. “The referendum’s timing is not suitable, in fact, it is not at anytime,” he stated.

Kurdistan Region slated a vote on independence from the central government in Baghdad for September 25th, and has, since then, defied calls from Baghdad to postpone the measure. Baghdad’s government has warned against the move repeatedly, with Abadi warning lately of an army intervention if a “yes” vote results in violence.

Kurdistan gained actual autonomous governance based on the 2005 constitution, but is still considered a part of Iraq. The region was created in 1970 based on an agreement with the Iraqi government, ending years of conflicts.

Israel’s government has openly voiced its support for the poll, while the United Nations, the United States, and regional powers Iran and Turkey, have asked to cancel it.

During the Tuesday meeting, Abadi said he predicts a “major detente” within hous concerning the referendum crisis, urging in the same time to adhere to “dialogue” and eye “common interests” to resolve the dispute