Official claims Iraqi army recaptures areas of Baiji

ERBIL, Kurdistan Region — Iraqi joint forces have recaptured several villages and areas in the town of Baiji from the Islamic State, Baiji Mayor Mohammed Mahmood told Rudaw on Saturday.

“The Iraqi army, police, counterterror forces and Hashd al-Shaabi have launched a multi-pronged massive assault on the Islamic State militants in the villages of  Albu Hajab, Hawi and Albu Toma in southern Baiji,” he said. “Fierce clashes are underway and very soon villages in the areas will be cleared of the remaining ISIS elements.”

“The western Baiji prong has been held by Iraqi security forces since yesterday, the prong before was an ISIS corridor being used for transferring heavy weapons, militants and ammunition inside Baiji,” he said.

Friday Iraqi joint forces captured a strategic area in Baiji and entered the city's key oil refinery where fighting has raged for most of the last two months, the Baghdad government announced.