Syrian air force fighter struck the Iraqi city of Al-Qaim
Qaim is located on the border with the Syrian Republic. A few days ago, he was captured by the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant group. Fighting for the city, located in 550-km from Baghdad (Anbar province), were fought from Friday, June 20. The government army retreated, losing the killed 34 soldiers.
For the militants, Al-Qaim is an extremely important strategic point, since its location allows for free transportation of weapons across the Iraqi-Syrian border.
On Sunday, June 22, it became known that Islamists seized three more cities in Anbar province - Al-Rutba, Ana and Rava. Before the arrival of the militants government forces left these settlements.
As the spokesman for the command of the Iraqi armed forces, General Kasem Ata, later stated, the retreat was a tactical maneuver.
Recall that the Sunni extremists, united by the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant movement and their sympathizing radical formations, began an offensive in the north of the country in mid-June and captured a number of settlements. Government troops could not provide decent resistance to extremists.
Then the Iraqi authorities appealed to the United States with a request to strike at militants from the air. But the Americans are not in a hurry with military help, saying that they need additional information about the situation in Iraq.
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