Iraq- Iraqi forces, soldiers, police, border guards and pro-government paramilitaries were involved in an operation in a remote western town Tuesday in a fresh offensive against ISIS aimed at cutting off the militants’ supply route to neighboring Syria.

Rutba is considered important because of its position as a “support zone” which ISIS was using to stage operations into battle areas further north and east, said coalition spokesman U.S. Army Col. Steve Warren.

Counter-terrorism forces, backed by U.S.-led coalition airstrikes, entered the town from the south and took control of al-Intisar district, the force’s spokesman Sabah al-Numan said they expect to reach the center of the town by next morning.

The latter also explained facing some resistance in breaching ISIS defences, however the military forces has further pushed the ISIS militants far enough from the northern and western territories they seized back in 2014.

However, ISIS groups still control big and main areas including Mosul, which Iraqi authorities have pledged to retake this year.

Warren stated that last week in Baghdad the town was not as heavily defended as Ramadi and Falluja.

Worth noting that the Iraqi army, federal police and Sunni tribal fighters are also participating in the offensive, which began on Monday when those forces began approaching Rutba from multiple directions. State