BAGHDAD Jared Cook Youth Jersey , Sept. 21 (Xinhua) -- Iraqi security forces on Thursday launched a new offensive against the Islamic State (IS) militants and recaptured a total of 19 villages as they are advancing to free the city of Hawijah in the oil-rich province of Kirkuk, the Iraqi military said.


The army's 9th Armored Division and two paramilitary Hashd Shaabi brigades freed 11 villages as they advanced in the rural area in north of the city of Hawijah, some 230 km north of the Iraqi capital Baghdad, Lt. Gen. Abdul Amir Yarallah Derek Carr Youth Jersey , from the Iraqi Joint Operations Command (JOC), said in a brief statement.


Meanwhile, a security source told Xinhua that the Iraqi troops freed eight more villages near the eastern bank of the city of Shirqat, some 280 km north of Baghdad Howie Long Womens Jersey , among which were the IS redoubts in the villages of Gan'ous and Imam Sharqi.


At least seven IS militants were killed during the advance in the eight villages near Shirqat, while the troops will continue push to approach the nearby major IS stronghold in Hawijah, the source said.


Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis, deputy commander of Hashd Shaabi brigades Bo Jackson Womens Jersey , said Thursday that the offensive will be conducted in two phases: the first is to retake control of areas in east of Shirqat and approach to Hawijah; the second is to dislodge IS militants from their stronghold in Hawijah.


Earlier in the day, the Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi announced the launch of a new offensive to drive out IS militants from Hawijah in the western part of Iraq's oil-rich Kirkuk province.


"With a new Iraqi dawn, we announce the launch of the first stage of an operation to liberate Hawijah," Abadi said in the morning in a brief statement.


Also in the morning Marshawn Lynch Womens Jersey , Yarallah said in a separate statement that the army forces, federal police, the interior ministry's elite forces of Rapid Response and the paramilitary Hashd Shaabi brigades began an operation to liberate the areas in east of the city of Shirqat and Hawijah.


The eastern part of Shirqat and the surrounding villages and rural areas, which stretch to the city of Hawijah Karl Joseph Womens Jersey , have been under IS rule since June 2014.


Xi meets Singaporean PM on advancing ties


Rescue teams work to find survivors as Mexico quake toll reaches 230


In pics: general debate of UN General Assembly on day 2


Highlights of 10th China Acrobatics Golden Chrysanthemum Awards


Highlights of 10th China Acrobatics Golden Chrysanthemum Awards


Wildlife paradise: Changtang National Nature Reserve in China's Tibet


PLA Navy frigates introduced to visitors at Port of Antwerp, Belgium


Aviation Expo China 2017 held in Beijing


RIO DE JANEIRO, Sept. 20 (Xinhua) -- Brazil's Supreme Court decided on Wednesday to accept the charges of obstruction of justice and criminal associations against President Michel Temer.


The charges were presented last Friday by Prosecutor-General Rodrigo Janot on his last day in office. The president's lawyers then asked the Supreme Court for a full suspension of the case.


However, the Supreme Court decided against that and sent the case to the lower house of Congress.


Raquel Dodge Eddie Vanderdoes Womens Jersey , the new prosecutor-general, expressed her approval of the Supreme Court's decision.


"The law is clear. There is no place to block the viability of the charges before the house's decision," she said, adding that the defense will have time to make their appeals if the lower house takes the case.


Under Brazilian law Nick Nelson Womens Jersey , for the president to be submitted to trial during his mandate, the lower house must admit the charges.


In order for the charges to be admitted in the lower house, a two-third majority vote is needed.


If the charges are admitted, the president will be immediately suspended from office for 180 days Arden Key Womens Jersey , awaiting trial.


If not, the case is suspended until the end of Temer's term, when the Supreme Court is allowed to submit him to trial.


Xi meets Singaporean PM on advancing ties


Rescue teams work to find survivors as Mexico quake toll reaches 230


In pics: general debate of UN General Assembly on day 2


Highlights of 10th China Acrobatics Golden Chrysanthemum Awards


Highlights of 10th China Acrobatics Golden Chrysanthemum Awards


Wildlife paradise: Changtang Nationa