On July 30, before the operations to retake the islands, the Anbar Operations Command announced the start of the battle to liberate Khalidiya, which stretches from the Japanese Bridge, west of Saqlawiyah in the Malahima area, all the way through Hammiyat and Bubali, down to al-Buabad in the area across from al-Habaniya and Khalidiya.
The operations were launched under the leadership of the military units in the army and federal police, with the participation of the Ali al-Akbar Brigade, the Imam Ali Battalions, the Master of Martyrs Brigades, Ansar al-Aqida Brigade and the 8th, 10th and 14th Divisions of the Iraqi army.
The next day, Hadi al-Amiri, the secretary-general of the Badr Organization, announced the end of the operations and said Khalidiya was fully liberated. This statement, however, was not entirely true. The liberation of Khalidiya was one of the hardest and fiercest operations for the involved security units, necessitating reinforcements from the Badr troops, the Hezbollah Brigades, Waa’d Allah forces and the League of the Righteous brigade. Fighting continued until Aug. 27, when the territories came under full control.
Following the liberation of the Khalidiya, Ramadi, Hit and al-Baghdadi areas, and those stretching from Baghdad to Haditha, which were completely retaken, only the areas of Rawah, Anah and Qaim remain in IS’ grip along the river. The operation to liberate Rawah and Anah has just started; government forces hope that it will not take long.
The liberation of Qaim, however, is likely to be bumpy, as it is connected to Syrian areas controlled by IS.
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