Iraq's Shia forces reach Syrian border in anti-ISIL offensive

 Iraq's Shiite Popular Mobilization Forces (PMF, or Hashd Shaabi) on Monday reported reaching the border with Syria during their offensive against the ISIL terror group.

"The militias of Popular Mobilization Forces, fasting during the month of Ramadan, made a miracle and reached the Syrian border," the statement read.

The statement added that two villages were liberated from ISIL terrorists. Further plans for Hashd Shaabi militias were not mentioned in the statement.

In November 2016, Hadi Amiri, one of the Shia forces leaders, said that Hashd Shaabi were ready to continue their anti-terrorist fight in Syria after liberating Iraq from the Daesh and upon receiving an official request from Damascus.

Iraq has been suffering from terrorism since 2014, when the ISIL captured one of the country's major cities, Mosul, after invading from Syria. The eastern part of the city was liberated by Iraqi and US-led coalition forces in late January. In February, the anti-ISIL offensive started in the western part of Mosul. Over 500,000 people have been displaced from Mosul since February, according to the Iraqi government.