Iraqi armed forces said on Saturday they had started an offensive to dislodge Islamic State from an area on the border with Syria south of the Euphrates river.
The offensive in the Akashat region, which has natural gas reserves, is meant to pave the way for the seizure of militant-held towns in the Euphrates river valley, including the border post of al-Qaim, military statements said.
Iraqi forces are seen outside the town of Akashat, northwest of the al-Anbar province, as they prepare a military operation to push out Islamic State (IS) group jihadists from the nearby areas, on September 15.
