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Iraqi Forces Advance in Fight for Control of Ramadi Iraqi Forces Fighting for Ramadi Make Their Way Toward City Center
(35 minutes later)
BAGHDAD — Iraqi soldiers began a fierce assault to wrest control of the city of Ramadi from the Islamic State on Monday night, and by midday on Tuesday they had battled their way toward the city center despite heavy resistance, an army commander said.BAGHDAD — Iraqi soldiers began a fierce assault to wrest control of the city of Ramadi from the Islamic State on Monday night, and by midday on Tuesday they had battled their way toward the city center despite heavy resistance, an army commander said.
The operation was undertaken by a mixture of soldiers, police officers and Sunni tribesmen opposed to the Islamic State, with close air support from the United States, the officials said.The operation was undertaken by a mixture of soldiers, police officers and Sunni tribesmen opposed to the Islamic State, with close air support from the United States, the officials said.
“They are moving into the city center,” Col. Steven Warren, the United States military spokesman in Baghdad, said in a brief telephone interview. “They are moving into the city center,” Col. Steven H. Warren, the United States military spokesman in Baghdad, said in a brief telephone interview.
With American warplanes overhead, Iraqi security forces and tribal fighters have closed in on the city, and last week they took a large neighborhood to its southwest. Ramadi, the largest city in Iraq’s western Anbar Province, fell to the Islamic State in May after a five-month battle. Since July, there have been a number of reports about efforts by the Iraqi Army to retake the city, but the latest offensive has been the most serious and sustained so far. In recent weeks, Iraqi security forces and tribal fighters have been closing in on the city, and recently they seized a large neighborhood to its southwest.
Ramadi, the largest city in Iraq’s western Anbar Province, was seized by the Islamic State in May after a five-month battle. There have been a number of reports since then about efforts by the Iraqi Army to retake the city, but the latest offensive appears to be the most serious and sustained so far. “We went into the center of Ramadi from different axes, and we started clearing residential areas,” Gen. Sabah al-Numani, a spokesman for the army counterterrorism unit in charge of the offensive, said in a statement. He predicted that “the city will be cleared within the coming 72 hours.”
“We went into the into the center of Ramadi from different axes, and we started clearing residential areas,” Gen. Sabah al-Numani, a spokesman for the army counterterrorism unit in charge of the offensive, said in a statement. He predicted that “the city will be cleared within the coming 72 hours.”
Six hundred to a thousand Islamic State fighters were in Ramadi when the offensive began two weeks ago, but several hundred of them have been killed in heavy fighting since then, according to American officials.Six hundred to a thousand Islamic State fighters were in Ramadi when the offensive began two weeks ago, but several hundred of them have been killed in heavy fighting since then, according to American officials.
The fighters for the Islamic State, also known as ISIS or ISIL, did not appear to be giving up easily. They destroyed three bridges over the Euphrates River to prevent security forces from entering the city, according to Gen. Ahmed al-Belawi, the leader of a battalion of Sunni tribal fighters. The remaining fighters for the Islamic State, also known as ISIS or ISIL, numbering perhaps 300 or 400, did not appear to be giving up easily. They destroyed three bridges over the Euphrates River to prevent security forces from entering the city, according to Gen. Ahmed al-Belawi, the leader of a battalion of Sunni tribal fighters.
“We are making significant progress to liberate the center soon,” General Belawi said. “The Iraqi and international coalition air force are helping our ground forces to advance quickly. Victory will be announced soon.”“We are making significant progress to liberate the center soon,” General Belawi said. “The Iraqi and international coalition air force are helping our ground forces to advance quickly. Victory will be announced soon.”
Al Jazeera reported that 14 soldiers and 17 tribal fighters were killed by a suicide car bomber in Albu Diab, northwest of the city center, and that at least 12 militants had been killed. MSNBC released a video that it said showed an Islamic State counterattack on the eastern edge of the city, and it quoted a tribal fighter as saying that at least seven Islamic State militants had been killed, a number that could not be independently confirmed. Al Jazeera reported that 14 soldiers and 17 tribal fighters were killed by a suicide car bomber in Albu Diab, northwest of the city center, and that at least 12 militants had been killed. MSNBC released a video that it said showed an Islamic State counterattack on the eastern edge of the city, and it quoted a tribal fighter as saying that at least seven Islamic State militants had been killed. Those numbers could not be independently confirmed.
Iraqi airplanes had dropped leaflets on Sunday urging residents of Ramadi to evacuate within 72 hours, warning of an impending operation. On Monday, Lt. Gen. Othman al-Ghanimi, the acting army chief of staff, said, “Iraqi forces will start the operation to retake Ramadi soon.” Iraqi airplanes had dropped leaflets on Sunday urging residents of Ramadi to evacuate within 72 hours, warning of an impending operation. On Monday, Lt. Gen. Othman al-Ghanimi, the acting army chief of staff, said that “Iraqi forces will start the operation to retake Ramadi soon.”
A security official in Anbar Province said in a phone interview that “ISIS are preventing the people of Ramadi from leaving and using them as human shields.”A security official in Anbar Province said in a phone interview that “ISIS are preventing the people of Ramadi from leaving and using them as human shields.”
The official, who spoke on the condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to discuss military operations, added that the Iraqi forces, entering from the southeast of Ramadi, were within two miles of the city center, where the local government compound is. The official added that the suburb of Bakir had been “completely devastated” from airstrikes and shelling.The official, who spoke on the condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to discuss military operations, added that the Iraqi forces, entering from the southeast of Ramadi, were within two miles of the city center, where the local government compound is. The official added that the suburb of Bakir had been “completely devastated” from airstrikes and shelling.
Since the middle of 2014, the Islamic State has controlled perhaps one-third of the territory of Iraq, including the northern city of Mosul. But it has lost several towns in recent months since the government in Baghdad and in the autonomous Kurdish region in northern Iraq have begun to fight back.Since the middle of 2014, the Islamic State has controlled perhaps one-third of the territory of Iraq, including the northern city of Mosul. But it has lost several towns in recent months since the government in Baghdad and in the autonomous Kurdish region in northern Iraq have begun to fight back.
With the support of Shiite paramilitary groups, the Iraqi forces have recaptured the towns of Tikrit and Baiji.With the support of Shiite paramilitary groups, the Iraqi forces have recaptured the towns of Tikrit and Baiji.
On Monday, Iraq’s prime minister, Haider al-Abadi, said that he had agreed to the deployment of 200 American ground forces in Iraq to help with the operations against the Islamic State. Mr. Abadi, a Shiite, has been trying to balance relations with the United States and Iran, which controls militias whose leaders are popular among the Shiite public.
To make gains in Anbar Province, which is a Sunni stronghold, the United States has urged Mr. Abadi’s government to reach out to Sunni tribal fighters trained and equipped by the United States. Although the Shiite fighters are among the most effective of Iraq’s military forces, they have been kept out of the Ramadi fight for fear of alienating the local population.