Shafaq News / Five villages near the Makhoul mountains, north of Saladin, were evacuated today, a security source reported. 

The administrator of Makhoul sub-district, Rasool Jassim, told Shafaq News agency that the Saladin operations command asked five villages, inhabited by 350-400 families, to leave their houses due to security threats. 

The security forces told the families that they will need to stay out of their homes for four months, until it is made sure that the area is completely safe and does not contain any ISIS hideouts.

The displaced families have pitched tents they received from the Iraqi red crescent in the sub-district, he noted.

Jassim said that the military campaigns in the sub-district may take longer than expected, due to the area's rugged land.