Iran general killed during battle against ISIL in Iraq

The Public Relations Department of the Islamic Revolution Guards Corps(IRGC) stated on Sunday that Brigadier General Hamid Taqavi was killed while on “an advisory mission” in the holy city of Samarra.

The statement added that Taghavi was killed while conducting the mission in cooperation with the “Iraqi army and popular mobilization(forces) to counter the ISIL militants in the vicinity of the shrine of(the eleventh Shia Imam) Hasan al - Askari(peace be upon him). ”

Samarra, located around ۱۱۰ kilometers(۶۸ miles) north of the capital, Baghdad, is home to the shrines of the tenth and eleventh Shia Imams, Ali al - Hadi(peace be upon him) and Hasan al - Askari(peace be upon him).

Taqavi was a military commander during the ۱۹۸۰-۱۹۸۸ Iraqi - imposed war against Iran.

A funeral procession will be held for Taqavi at ۹:۰۰ a. m. local time(۰۵۳۰ GMT) Monday in the Iranian capital, Tehran.

His body will be transferred to and buried in his hometown Ahvaz, southwestern Iran, on December ۳۰.

Iran has repeatedly stressed that it will not interfere militarily in Iraq and Syria, but the Islamic Republic continues to provide support to both countries against ISIL in the form of defense consultancy and humanitarian aid.

At the onset of the ISIL advances in Iraq, the Islamic Republic took rapid steps to mobilize popular forces in the country.

Tehran has also refused to join the so - called US - led coalition against ISIL in Iraq and Syria.

The militants have been carrying out horrific acts of violence, including public decapitations and crucifixions, against all Syrian and Iraqi communities such as Shias, Sunnis, Kurds, Christians and Izadi Kurds.