The Iraqi army has sent a military force to Baiji and an Iraqi security source announced Tuesday the main reason for the deployment is a pending military campaign to retake the town of Shargat, which fell to ISIS in June 2014.
“[Shargat] is considered the last ISIS stronghold in Salahadin province,” the unnamed source said.
The source said some of the forces arrived in Baiji on Monday, and others arrived on Tuesday with types of heavy weapons believed to be used for the first time against the self-claimed Islamic State. They added ISIS would not attempt to fight in Shargat as its fighters have been asked to assist Mosul.