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Iraq declares Ramadi liberated from Islamic State | Iraq declares Ramadi liberated from Islamic State |
(about 1 hour later) | |
The Iraqi city of Ramadi has been "liberated" from so-called Islamic State, the Iraqi military has declared. | The Iraqi city of Ramadi has been "liberated" from so-called Islamic State, the Iraqi military has declared. |
Spokesman Brig Gen Yahya Rasul said forces had achieved an "epic" victory and that the Iraqi flag had been raised over the government complex there. | Spokesman Brig Gen Yahya Rasul said forces had achieved an "epic" victory and that the Iraqi flag had been raised over the government complex there. |
Some reports indicate there are still pockets of resistance in the city. | Some reports indicate there are still pockets of resistance in the city. |
Ramadi's recapture would mark a major reversal for the jihadist group. They had seized it in May, in an embarrassing defeat for the army. | |
Iraqi government forces had been fighting to retake it for weeks. | Iraqi government forces had been fighting to retake it for weeks. |
Did tactical switch help advance? | |
Islamic State conflict | |
Life under IS | |
Viewpoint: How to defeat IS | |
Troops managed to capture the government compound on Sunday, flushing out or killing Islamic State (IS) fighters and suicide bombers who had been holding out in the buildings. | Troops managed to capture the government compound on Sunday, flushing out or killing Islamic State (IS) fighters and suicide bombers who had been holding out in the buildings. |
Brig Gen Majid al-Fatlawi of the army's 8th division told AFP that IS fighters had "planted more than 300 explosive devices on the roads and in the buildings of the government complex". | |
Despite the declaration of victory, the head of military operations in Anbar, Gen Ismail al-Mahlawi, said retreating IS militants still controlled parts of the city, the Associated Press news agency reported. | Despite the declaration of victory, the head of military operations in Anbar, Gen Ismail al-Mahlawi, said retreating IS militants still controlled parts of the city, the Associated Press news agency reported. |
The operation to recapture Ramadi, about 55 miles (90km) west of Baghdad, began in early November. | The operation to recapture Ramadi, about 55 miles (90km) west of Baghdad, began in early November. |
It was backed by US-led coalition air strikes. But it made slow progress, mainly because the government chose not to use the powerful Shia-dominated paramilitary force that helped it regain the mainly Sunni northern city of Tikrit, to avoid increasing sectarian tensions. | It was backed by US-led coalition air strikes. But it made slow progress, mainly because the government chose not to use the powerful Shia-dominated paramilitary force that helped it regain the mainly Sunni northern city of Tikrit, to avoid increasing sectarian tensions. |
The US military called the recapture a "proud moment for Iraq". | |
It added that "the coalition will continue to support the government of Iraq as they move forward to make Ramadi safe for civilians to return". |