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Iraqi forces retake main government compound in Falluja from Isis Iraqi forces retake main government compound in Falluja from Isis
(35 minutes later)
Iraqi troops say they have retaken the main government compound in Falluja in a breakthrough in the fourth week of an offensive against Islamic State’s stronghold. Iraqi troops say they have retaken the main government compound in Falluja, in a breakthrough in the fourth week of an offensive against Islamic State’s stronghold.
The elite federal forces met limited resistance from Isis fighters, who are redeploying on the western outskirts of the city, military commanders said. Elite federal forces met limited resistance from Isis fighters, who are redeploying on the western outskirts of the city, military commanders said.
“The counter-terrorism service and the rapid response forces have retaken the government compound in the centre of Falluja,” the operation’s overall commander, Lt Gen Abdul-Wahab al-Saadi, said.“The counter-terrorism service and the rapid response forces have retaken the government compound in the centre of Falluja,” the operation’s overall commander, Lt Gen Abdul-Wahab al-Saadi, said.
Raed Shaker Jawdat, Iraq’s federal police chief, confirmed the advance. “The liberation of the government compound, which is the main landmark in the city, symbolises the restoration of the state’s authority [in Falluja],” he said.Raed Shaker Jawdat, Iraq’s federal police chief, confirmed the advance. “The liberation of the government compound, which is the main landmark in the city, symbolises the restoration of the state’s authority [in Falluja],” he said.
Related: The battle for Falluja: 'If they lose it, Isis is finished'Related: The battle for Falluja: 'If they lose it, Isis is finished'
The government lost control of Falluja in 2014, months before Isis took Iraq’s second city, Mosul, and swept across large parts of the country.The government lost control of Falluja in 2014, months before Isis took Iraq’s second city, Mosul, and swept across large parts of the country.
Falluja, which is 31 miles (50km) west of Baghdad, is one of Isis’s most emblematic strongholds; its loss would leave Mosul as the only major Iraqi city under the group’s control. Falluja, which is 31 miles (50km) west of Baghdad, is one of Isis’s most emblematic strongholds; its loss would leave Mosul as the only major Iraqi city under the group’s control. In the hours before the latest push into the heart of Falluja, Iraqi forces retook several neighbourhoods in the south and east, giving them control of almost 50% of the city.
In the hours before the latest push into the heart of Falluja, Iraqi forces retook several neighbourhoods in the south and east, giving them control of almost 50% of the city. “This operation was done with little resistance from Daesh,” Saadi said, using the Arabic acronym for Isis. “There is a mass flight of Daesh to the west that explains this lack of resistance. There are only pockets of them left and we are hunting them down.”
“This operation was done with little resistance from Daesh,” Saadi said, using the Arabic acronym for Isis. Security officials said many Isis members had managed to slip out of the city by blending in with fleeing civilians in recent days, in some cases paying off security forces. “The top leaders are mostly gone and those left behind to defend the city are not their best fighters, which explains their performance,” said a security officer speaking on condition of anonymity.
“There is a mass flight of Daesh to the west that explains this lack of resistance. There are only pockets of them left and we are hunting them down.” Tens of thousands of civilians have been forced from their homes since the start of the operation last month. The first to escape were those living in rural outlying areas, in the early phase of the operation in which several Iraqi forces sealed the siege of the city.
Security officials said many Isis members had managed to slip out of the city by blending in with fleeing civilians in recent days, in some cases paying off security forces.
“The top leaders are mostly gone and those left behind to defend the city are not their best fighters, which explains their performance,” said a security officer speaking on condition of anonymity.
Tens of thousands of civilians have been forced from their homes since the start of the operation last month.
Related: Civilians flee the offensive on Falluja – in picturesRelated: Civilians flee the offensive on Falluja – in pictures
The first to escape were those living in rural outlying areas, in the early phase of the operation in which several Iraqi forces sealed the siege of the city.
City centre residents had been trapped in dire conditions for days, but recent advances have allowed many of them to escape.City centre residents had been trapped in dire conditions for days, but recent advances have allowed many of them to escape.
The Norwegian Refugee Council, which runs camps for displaced people near Falluja, said the sudden arrivals meant relief capabilities were rapidly being diminished. The Norwegian Refugee Council, which runs camps for displaced people near Falluja, said the sudden arrivals meant relief capabilities were rapidly being diminished. “Thousands of civilians from Falluja are right now heading towards displacement camps in a dramatic development that is overwhelming emergency aid provision and services,” it said.
“Thousands of civilians from Falluja are right now heading towards displacement camps in a dramatic development that is overwhelming emergency aid provision and services,” it said. With Isis retreating, a window has opened for civilians to leave, but the journey remains dangerous, with several reported cases of people killed or wounded by roadside bombs. There were an estimated 50,000 people in the city when the operation was launched, but it is unclear how many remain.
With Isis retreating, a window has opened for civilians to leave, but the journey remains dangerous, with several reported cases of people killed or wounded by roadside bombs. Civilians have been used as human shields by Isis, and those who managed to flee faced the possibility of sectarian abuse by elements of the pro-government forces. Falluja is a predominantly Sunni city and the involvement of Shia militia groups in the operation had raised fears of revenge attacks.
There were an estimated 50,000 people in the city when the operation was launched, but it is unclear how many remain. Several men who eventually reached displacement camps outside the city after being screened by Iraqi forces spoke of torture and killing at the hands of militias. They said some paramilitary forces openly told the local men that they held of their desire to avenge the victims of the Speicher massacre, which saw Isis and allied local gunmen kill up to 1,700 mostly Shia people near Tikrit two years ago.
Civilians have been used as human shields by Isis, and those who managed to flee faced the possibility of sectarian abuse by elements of the pro-government forces. Falluja is a predominantly Sunni Muslim city and the involvement of Shia militia groups in the operation had raised fears of revenge attacks.
Several men who eventually reached displacement camps outside the city after being screened by Iraqi forces spoke of torture and killing at the hands of militias.
They said some paramilitary forces openly told the local men that they held of their desire to avenge the victims of the Speicher massacre, which saw Isis and allied local gunmen kill up to 1,700 mostly Shia people near Tikrit two years ago.