Iraqi security forces and Shiite militiamen on Sunday broke a
six-week siege imposed by Islamic State militants on the northern Shiite
Turkmen town of Amirli, following US airstrikes against the Sunni
militants' positions, officials said.
The advance was slowed down by the presence of booby traps along the main roads leading to Amirli.
"At the moment Amirli is being cleared by the army engineers of all the booby traps left behind by the Takfiris (Islamic State militants) on the main roads leading into Amirli," said Bashir al-Ghezi, a commander with the Shiite militia, al-Salam Brigade, speaking before the siege was lifted.
About 15,000 Shiite Turkmens were stranded in the farming community, some 105 miles (170 kilometres) north of Baghdad.
Instead of fleeing in the face of the Islamic State group's rampage across northern Iraq in June, the Shiite Turkmens stayed and fortified their town with trenches and armed positions.
Residents succeeded in fending off the initial attack from Islamic State militants in June, but Amirli has been surrounded by the militants since mid-July.
Many residents said the Iraqi military's efforts to fly in food, water and other aid had not been enough, as they endured the oppressive August heat with virtually no electricity or running water.
The advance was slowed down by the presence of booby traps along the main roads leading to Amirli.
"At the moment Amirli is being cleared by the army engineers of all the booby traps left behind by the Takfiris (Islamic State militants) on the main roads leading into Amirli," said Bashir al-Ghezi, a commander with the Shiite militia, al-Salam Brigade, speaking before the siege was lifted.
About 15,000 Shiite Turkmens were stranded in the farming community, some 105 miles (170 kilometres) north of Baghdad.
Instead of fleeing in the face of the Islamic State group's rampage across northern Iraq in June, the Shiite Turkmens stayed and fortified their town with trenches and armed positions.
Residents succeeded in fending off the initial attack from Islamic State militants in June, but Amirli has been surrounded by the militants since mid-July.
Many residents said the Iraqi military's efforts to fly in food, water and other aid had not been enough, as they endured the oppressive August heat with virtually no electricity or running water.
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