Iraqi paramilitary Hashd Shaabi units on Monday recaptured nine villages from Islamic State (IS) militants near the Iraqi-Syrian border. The Hashd Shaabi units, backed by the army's helicopter gunships, liberated nine villages scattered in west of the newly freed town of Baaj, some 20km east of the Syrian border, Xinhua reported.

Baaj is located in the rugged sprawling area in south of the town of Sinjar, some 100km west of Mosul. During the day, the paramilitary units killed some 37 IS militants and the gunships destroyed four suicide car bombs trying to stop the advance of the units, the statement said, adding that the forces destroyed several IS headquarters and posts outside and inside the town.