Iraqi Shia paramilitary forces have launched an operation to retake a town from which the Islamic State group launched a chemical weapons attack that killed three children, commanders said Sunday.
"The operation aims to liberate Bashir, after we succeeded several days ago in cutting off supplies to (IS) in the Bashir area," said Abu Ridha al-Najjar, who is leading the operation.
Sheikh Maitham al-Zaidi, the commander of Furqat al-Abbas, one of the groups involved, also confirmed that the operation had begun.
Najjar said that nine pro-government fighters were killed and 60 wounded in clashes with IS on Sunday.