The Iraqi Security Forces, led by Hashd Al-Sha’abi (Popular Mobilization Units), kicked off a wide-scale military operation on Monday, February 10 morning against the militants in the northwestern governorate of Ninawa (var. Nineveh), Al-Masdar News reports.

According to the official media wing of Hashd Al-Sha’abi, the Iraqi security forces began the operation in the historical Al-Hadar District, which is where the ancient city of Hatra is located.

“The security forces and Hashd Al-Sha’abi launched a security operation at 7:00 A.M. today to clear Jazirah Al-Hadar in the governorate of Ninawa, which has an area of 960 km and with the participation of brigades 33, 44, and 25, it is within the operational command,” the Hashd Al-Sha’abi statement said on Monday morning.

The operation appears to be targeting much of the southwestern countryside of the Ninawa Governorate, which is where the Islamic State is believed to have several cells.

The Al-Hadar District is located less than 80 km away from the Syrian border and was previously occupied by IS during their southwestern Ninawa campaign in 2014.

IS later destroyed parts of the ancient city of Hatra, as they began a campaign to target historical sites in both Syria and Iraq.

In the Spring of 2017, the Hashd Al-Sha’abi forces liberated the entire district, putting to end the Islamic State’s reign of terror in Al-Hadar.