The Iraqi Armed Forces launched their last operation to expel the Islamic State (ISIS) from Iraq, the official media wing for the Iraqi Ministry of Defense announced on Thursday, November 23, Al-Masdar News reports.

Led by the army and Hashd Al-Shaabi (Popular Mobilization Units), the Iraqi Armed Forces struck the Islamic State’s last positions inside the northwestern countryside of the Al-Anbar Governorate.

So far, no gains have been announced by the Iraqi Armed Forces; furthermore, this operation will likely take several weeks to complete as the Islamic State is deeply entrenched in the desert area of Al-Anbar.

The main objective of the offensive is to seal the Iraqi-Syrian border, which has been the Islamic State’s lifeline in both countries.