Iraqi security forces are gaining control of the Akkas gas field, as they prosecute the final phase of an offensive to dislodge the self-proclaimed Islamic State (IS) militant group from the deserts of western Anbar province. “Engineering teams from the [Iraqi Army’s] 7th Division are working on defusing improvised explosive devices, so security forces can advance and retake the whole field,” said Abu Mahath al-Jughaifi, one of the leaders of a tribal paramilitary operating under the government’s al-Hashid al-Shabi (Popular Mobilization) program, in a Tuesday interview. This content is for registered users. Please login to continue. If you are not a registered user, you may purchase a subscription or sign up for a free trial .