(Zaman Al Wasl)-
An Iraqi Shi'ite militia backed by Iran said Saturday it pushed Islamic
State out of two villages on the border with Syria in Hasaka province, Popular Mobilization said on its website.
The territory taken by the Popular Mobilization force on Monday is located near Tel Sfouk border crossing. The Iran-backed group took villages of al-Jaya and Ghalfay, after rapid advances made early this week.
For Popular Mobilisation, it is a step towards achieving a linkup with Bashar Assad forces, giving him a significant advantage in fighting the six-year rebellion against his rule.
But the territory is connected with land held by U.S.-backed Syrian Kurdish groups on the Syrian side, who are more focused on fighting Islamic State than Assad.
In a statement on its website, Popular Mobilization described its advance to the border with Syria as "a Ramadan miracle", referring to the Muslim fasting month which started over the weekend.
Popular Mobilization is taking part in the U.S-backed Iraqi campaign to defeat Islamic State in the city of Mosul and the surrounding province of Nineveh.
Iraqi government armed forces are focusing their effort on dislodging insurgents from the city of Mosul, Islamic State's de-facto capital in Iraq.
Al- Assad has said the worst of his country's six-year war "is behind us" after a string of advances by his forces backed by key ally Russia.
In recent months, Assad's troops and allied fighters have retaken territory across the country, including recapturing all of Aleppo city in December after years of fighting.
"Things now are moving in the right direction, which is a better direction, because we are defeating the terrorists," he said in an interview in Damascus with the India-based WION television station.
"Unless the West and other countries and their allies, their puppets, support those extremists in... a very massive way, I'm sure the worst is behind us." (With agencies)
The territory taken by the Popular Mobilization force on Monday is located near Tel Sfouk border crossing. The Iran-backed group took villages of al-Jaya and Ghalfay, after rapid advances made early this week.
For Popular Mobilisation, it is a step towards achieving a linkup with Bashar Assad forces, giving him a significant advantage in fighting the six-year rebellion against his rule.
But the territory is connected with land held by U.S.-backed Syrian Kurdish groups on the Syrian side, who are more focused on fighting Islamic State than Assad.
In a statement on its website, Popular Mobilization described its advance to the border with Syria as "a Ramadan miracle", referring to the Muslim fasting month which started over the weekend.
Popular Mobilization is taking part in the U.S-backed Iraqi campaign to defeat Islamic State in the city of Mosul and the surrounding province of Nineveh.
Iraqi government armed forces are focusing their effort on dislodging insurgents from the city of Mosul, Islamic State's de-facto capital in Iraq.
Al- Assad has said the worst of his country's six-year war "is behind us" after a string of advances by his forces backed by key ally Russia.
In recent months, Assad's troops and allied fighters have retaken territory across the country, including recapturing all of Aleppo city in December after years of fighting.
"Things now are moving in the right direction, which is a better direction, because we are defeating the terrorists," he said in an interview in Damascus with the India-based WION television station.
"Unless the West and other countries and their allies, their puppets, support those extremists in... a very massive way, I'm sure the worst is behind us." (With agencies)
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