An Iraqi Shi'ite Muslim force backed by Iran said it pushed Islamic State out of a group of villages on the border with Syria on Monday, a maneuver that could weaken the militants' hold on the frontier.
The Iraqi territory taken by the Popular Mobilization force connected with land held by US-backed Syrian Kurdish groups on the Syrian side, creating a possible bridge.
In a statement on its website, Popular Mobilization described its advance through Iraq to the border with Syria as "a Ramadan miracle," referring to the Muslim fasting month which started over the weekend.