Battle of Hit (2016)

Battle of Hit (2016)
Part of the War in Iraq and the Anbar campaign (2015–16)
Date12 March 2016 – 14 April 2016 (1 month and 2 days)
Location
Hīt District, Anbar Governorate, Iraq
Status

Iraqi government victory

Belligerents

Iraq Iraq

Air support:[1]

 Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant
Commanders and leaders
Haider al-Abadi (Prime Minister of Iraq)
Suhaib al-Rawi (Governor of Anbar)
Mohanad Zbar (Mayor of Hīt district)

Raed Mounir al-Zubaidi † (Top ISIL commander of Hīt District)[5]

Isaq al-Libyan † (ISIL commander of Kabisa District)>[6]
Strength
5,000+ fighters (two brigades) 1,000+ fighters (300–400 fighters in Hīt)[7]
Casualties and losses
62+ killed, 50+ wounded 339+ killed
40 arrested[8]
5 civilians executed by ISIL
25,000 civilians trapped in Hīt, another 20,000 fled the Hīt District[9]
1,500+ civilians evacuated[10]

The Battle of Hit, code named Operation Desert Lynx by Iraqi forces,[11] was an offensive launched by the Iraqi Government during the Anbar offensive, with the goal of recapturing the town of Hīt and the Hīt District from ISIL. After the Iraqi forces recaptured the city of Ramadi, Hīt and Fallujah were the only cities still under the control of ISIL in the Al Anbar Governorate. Iraqi Forces fully recaptured Hīt and the rest of the Hīt District on 14 April 2016.

  1. ^ "Roadside bombs slow Iraqi forces' advance on Ramadi". Al Jazeera. Retrieved 28 February 2016.
  2. ^ Cite error: The named reference Kabisa liberated was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  3. ^ Cite error: The named reference Hit recaptured was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  4. ^ Cite error: The named reference Hit District liberated was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  5. ^ Cite error: The named reference key district was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  6. ^ Amre Sarhan (19 March 2016). "ISIS so-called prince of Kabisa killed in coalition strike west of Ramadi". Iraqi News.
  7. ^ Loveday Morris (19 February 2016). "With Islamic State under pressure, Iraqi forces hope to reclaim city of Hit". Washington Post. Retrieved 31 March 2016.
  8. ^ "40 ISIS members arrested while trying to escape from Heet District, Iraq". 17 April 2016.
  9. ^ "Iraqis call in jets in battle for Hit". 15 April 2016.
  10. ^ Cite error: The named reference mee was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  11. ^ "Iraqi Security Forces, Anbar Tribes Launch Operation Desert Lynx To Liberate Hit". International Business Times. 12 March 2016.