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| Islamic State: Iraqi army makes gains in Falluja offensive | Islamic State: Iraqi army makes gains in Falluja offensive |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| Iraqi government forces have made gains in their offensive to drive Islamic State militants from Falluja - one the country's two major cities in IS hands. | Iraqi government forces have made gains in their offensive to drive Islamic State militants from Falluja - one the country's two major cities in IS hands. |
| The nearby town of Karma, the first line of IS defence, is now in the army's hands, a BBC correspondent says. | The nearby town of Karma, the first line of IS defence, is now in the army's hands, a BBC correspondent says. |
| Large numbers of elite combat troops have also been deployed near Falluja, about 45km (28 miles) west of Baghdad. | Large numbers of elite combat troops have also been deployed near Falluja, about 45km (28 miles) west of Baghdad. |
| But IS hit back north of Falluja, killing and injuring some Iraqi forces in a suicide car bomb attack. | But IS hit back north of Falluja, killing and injuring some Iraqi forces in a suicide car bomb attack. |
| A counter-attack south of the city was repelled with the help of helicopter gunships, the BBC's Jim Muir in Karma reports. | A counter-attack south of the city was repelled with the help of helicopter gunships, the BBC's Jim Muir in Karma reports. |
| This comes just days after the IS commander in Falluja, Maher al-Bilawi, was killed along with dozens militants in US-led coalition air strikes, according to Washington. | This comes just days after the IS commander in Falluja, Maher al-Bilawi, was killed along with dozens militants in US-led coalition air strikes, according to Washington. |
| How tough will it be to take Falluja? | |
| Islamic State: The full story | Islamic State: The full story |
| Ghost town | Ghost town |
| Karma is now firmly under control of government forces, including rapid reaction troops and federal police, our correspondent says. | Karma is now firmly under control of government forces, including rapid reaction troops and federal police, our correspondent says. |
| Iran-backed Shia militias, which also took part in the fighting, have left graffiti on the walls of buildings in the town, including one saying: "Thank you, Iran." | Iran-backed Shia militias, which also took part in the fighting, have left graffiti on the walls of buildings in the town, including one saying: "Thank you, Iran." |
| But Karma is now a ghost town, with not a single civilian to be seen and with rows of shops battered and burnt out and some bigger buildings badly damaged, our correspondent adds. | But Karma is now a ghost town, with not a single civilian to be seen and with rows of shops battered and burnt out and some bigger buildings badly damaged, our correspondent adds. |
| Large number of the elite Counter-Terrorism Force have been brought up in preparation for an assault on the city itself. | Large number of the elite Counter-Terrorism Force have been brought up in preparation for an assault on the city itself. |
| However, it is not clear when the attack will begin. | However, it is not clear when the attack will begin. |
| Falluja - key facts: | |
| Some 50,000 civilians remain trapped in the city and have been told via leaflet drops to avoid IS areas and put white sheets on their roofs, the US military says. | Some 50,000 civilians remain trapped in the city and have been told via leaflet drops to avoid IS areas and put white sheets on their roofs, the US military says. |
| The UN says it has reports of people dying of starvation and being killed for refusing to fight for IS. | The UN says it has reports of people dying of starvation and being killed for refusing to fight for IS. |
| Falluja fell to IS in 2014, a key moment in its rise that saw it declare a caliphate across swathes of Iraq and Syria. | Falluja fell to IS in 2014, a key moment in its rise that saw it declare a caliphate across swathes of Iraq and Syria. |
| The other major Iraqi city still controlled by IS is Mosul. | The other major Iraqi city still controlled by IS is Mosul. |