A column of black Humvees carrying Iraqi special forces moved into southern Fallujah yesterday, the first time in more than two years that government troops have entered the western city held by the Islamic State group.
Led by the country’s counter-terrorism service, Iraqi forces and allied militias backed by air support from a US-led coalition began an operation on May 23 to wrest the city from Islamic State group. Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi promised a swift victory when he announced the start of the operation on May 22 to liberate Fallujah, about 65 kilometers west of Baghdad.
Although other security forces from the federal and provincial police, government-sanctioned Shiite militias and the Iraqi military have surrounded the city, only the elite counter terrorism troops are fighting inside Fallujah at this stage of the operation. And they are doing so under the close cover of US-led coalition air power. Fallujah is one of the last IS strongholds in Iraq.
Meanwhile, UN says the number of civilians still inside the besieged town of Fallujah could be up to 90,000. Thousands of civilians are caught in the crossfire in and around Fallujah.