Iraq drops leaflets calling for Daesh to surrender

Iraqi aircraft dropped thousands of leaflets on Friday calling for Daesh to surrender, Anadolu has reported. The drop-zone covered the Hwija and Shirqat areas in Kirkuk and Salahuddin governorates respectively.

According to the Iraqi defence ministry, the leaflets warned Daesh “terrorist gangs” that the time of their defeat is coming soon and they have to surrender.

One Iraqi officer told Anadolu that the army had taken all of the necessary measures to start the offensive against Hwija and Shirqat. “The leaflet-drop means that the offensive will start soon,” said Taher Al-Rashid. “The offensive will take place simultaneously with retaking the areas which are still controlled by Daesh. As happened in Tel Afar, the Iraqi forces will end the battle quickly.”

The battle for Tel Afar lasted less than two weeks. It was the latest area to be liberated from Daesh control, although the extremist group still controls three other cities in Al-Anbar governorate in the west of Iraq.