The report says that the air strike was carried out near the border of Syria and Iraq, in western Mosul.

According to Abu Syad al-Karabali, deputy commander of the Popular Mobilization Forces, the fugitive was trying to move from Iraq to Syria when he was struck yeststerday by the artillery attack.

Border clearing operations have made great progress in the fight against the IS terrorists, the information says.

However, intelligence reports explain that the extremist group is preparing attacks against the southwest Iraqi city of Al-Anbar, near the common borders of Iraq, Syria and Jordan.

Iraqi forces are about to launch an offensive to free the border town of Tal Afar, about 40 kilometers west of Mosul, in what will be the next major battle against terrorists, the Iraqui News agency reports. (PL)

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