Iraq Forces in Full Control of Central Ramadi as ’ISIS’ Militants Flee

Local Editor

Iraqi officials said the army is now in full control of central Ramadi, where "ISIS" had been resisting an army offensive.

The military said earlier that troops had retaken a former government compound in the strategic city.

The Iraqi government had been advancing into Ramadi for weeks.

"The complex is under our complete control, there is no presence whatsoever of Daesh fighters in the complex," Sabah al-Numan said on Sunday, adding, the entire perimeter must first be cleared of booby traps and mines before forces could move in.

"The operation is almost wrapped up. Our forces will enter in the coming hours."

"By controlling the complex this means that they have been defeated in Ramadi," he said, adding, "The next step is to clear pockets that could exist here or there in the city."

Iraqi forces had earlier in the day surrounded the complex in the capital of the western province of Anbar.

"We're seeing lots of Daesh bodies, killed in the air strikes on the compound," Numan said.

The offensive to clear the city from the last "ISIS" stronghold began five days ago.

Aslo on Sunday, Iraqi army troops managed to secure eight districts of Ramadi, including al-Baker, Mo'allemin, al-Andalus and Hoz.

Iraqi forces had made huge gains in recent operations against "ISIS" terrorists in the embattled province of Anbar as they continue clean-up operations against Takfiri militants across the country.

Recapturing Ramadi, which fell to the militants in May, would be one of the most significant victories for Iraq's armed forces since the Takfiris swept across a third of the country.

Ramadi will be the second main city to be retaken from "ISIS" militants. The Iraqi forces had in late March liberated the city of Tikrit in northern Iraq.

In its next offensive, the army plans to move to retake the northern city of Mosul, the biggest population center under "ISIS" control in Iraq and Syria.

Freeing Mosul, would effectively dismantle the structure that "ISIS" has built in Iraq and deprive them of a major source of income, which comes partly from oil and partly from fees and taxes on residents.

"ISIS" militants occupied large swathes of Iraqi territories in 2014.

Source: News Agencies, Edited by website team

28-12-2015 | 09:55

Victory near for Iraq Forces as ISIL Leaves Key Ramadi Compound

ISIL terrorists pulled out of their last stronghold in Ramadi Sunday, bringing Iraqi federal forces within sight of their biggest victory since last year's debacle.

The elite counter-terrorism service was hours away from moving into the former government complex in Ramadi, which the terrorists had fiercely defended for several days, the force's spokesman said.

"All Daesh (ISIL) fighters have left. There is no resistance," Sabah al-Numan told AFP. "The operation is almost wrapped up; our forces will enter in the coming hours."

He said a major clearing effort was needed to allow forces to move in because ISIL rigged the entire area with roadside bombs and booby traps.

For that reason, the military and government did not immediately declare victory, but some people were already celebrating on the streets of several cities.

Earlier on Sunday, Iraqi troops were getting ready for a final push to take the remaining district occupied by ISIL in the city of Ramadi, army spokesmen said.

The soldiers are within 300 meters (330 yards) of the provincial government compound, the target of the attack they launched on Tuesday, Sabah al-Numani, a spokesman for the counter-terrorism force that is leading the fight on the government side, said earlier on Sunday.

"We expect to reach the compound in the next 24 hours," he told Reuters. "Booby trapped houses and roadside bombs are all over the streets, they have to be cleared; air surveillance is helping detect car bombs and suicide bombers before they get to us." Ramadi is the capital of the mainly Sunni Muslim Anbar province in the fertile Euphrates River valley, just two hours drive west of Baghdad.

Recapturing Ramadi, which fell to the militants in May, would be one of the most significant victories for Iraq's armed forces since ISIL swept across a third of the country in 2014.

Officials said it would be handed over to the local police and to a Sunni tribal force once secured.