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Falluja 'fully liberated' from Islamic State Falluja fully liberated from Islamic State
(about 1 hour later)
A senior Iraqi commander has declared that Falluja is fully liberated from Islamic State militants after the capture of the last district held by the militants following a month-long military operation. Islamic State has been entirely routed from Falluja, one of the jihadi group’s two major Iraqi strongholds, a senior Iraqi commander has declared, marking the end of a month-long operation that saw tens of thousands of people flee the city.
Iraqi troops entered the north-western Golan neighbourhood, the head of the counterterrorism forces in the operation, Lt Gen Abdul-Wahab al-Saadi, said on Sunday. Lieutenant-general Abdul-Wahab al-Saadi, the head of the counterterrorism forces in the operation, said on Sunday that Iraqi troops had entered the north-western Golan neighbourhood, the last area of Falluja to remain under Isis control.
Saadi said the operation, which began in late May, was complete and the city was “fully liberated”. The Iraqi army was backed by US-led coalition airstrikes and paramilitary troops, mostly Shia militias. Saadi said the operation, which was launched in late May by the Iraqi army backed by US-led coalition airstrikes and paramilitary troops, mostly Shia militias, was over and that the city was “fully liberated”. He claimed 1,800 Iraqi fighters had been killed and as much as 30% of the city destroyed in the bloody battle to retake the city, which fell to Isis in January 2014.
“From the centre of Golan neighbourhood, we congratulate the Iraqi people and the commander in chief … and declare that the Falluja fight is over,” he told Iraqi state TV, flanked by military officers and soldiers. The fall of Falluja, which was bitterly contested during the 2003 US-led invasion of Iraq and the seizure of which was a humiliation for the Iraqi national army, will exacerbate a refugee crisis that the United Nations says involves more than 80,000 people.
Some of the soldiers were shooting in the air, chanting and waving the Iraqi flag. But it will also allow greater military resources to be turned to the attack on Mosul, the only other major city held by Isis in Iraq.
Falluja had been under the control of Isis since January 2014. It was the first major urban centre to fall to the group and was once considered to be a fortress that could take months to wrest back into government control. Mosul is a considerably larger city, and the political alliance required to unify the forces seeking to oust Isis from it is more complex since it will involve Kurds and the Iraqi army. The US has for months been overseeing the planned operation for the full attack on Mosul.
Iraq’s prime minister, Haidar al-Abadi, declared victory over the militants on Friday, but parts of the city remained under Isis control. Hailing the liberation of Falluja, a Sunni Muslim city only 40 miles west of Baghdad, Saadi declared: “The Falluja fight is over.” He was flanked by military officers and soldiers. Some of the soldiers were shooting in the air, chanting and waving the Iraqi flag.
The Iraqi government faces an enormous challenge in catering for more than 80,000 refugees who have fled Falluja to camps on the city’s outskirts and are short of water and food. Iraq’s prime minister, Haidar al-Abadi, had previously claimed the city had been captured but his claims were premature. In the meantime the ensuing refugee crisis has been building, with thousands of residents fleeing to camps on the outskirts.
Karl Schembri, an official with the Norwegian Refugee Council which is running camps for displaced people, described the situation last week as deteriorating by the day and said the camps were “hell on earth”. Civilians are surviving on three litres of water a day in Iraq’s searing summer heat.Karl Schembri, an official with the Norwegian Refugee Council which is running camps for displaced people, described the situation last week as deteriorating by the day and said the camps were “hell on earth”. Civilians are surviving on three litres of water a day in Iraq’s searing summer heat.
A spokesman for the local council, Salam Ajami al-Halbusi, said: “The percentage of damage in several areas of Falluja, after they have been liberated from Isis control, has been estimated to be around 30%. The damages were caused during the organised terrorist operations.”
He added: “Isis used thousands of IEDs [improvised explosive devices] and hundreds of booby-trapped vehicles. Isis also booby-trapped the houses of the army and police members, tribal leaders and everyone who objected to the terrorist organisation’s ideology.”
By contrast the Iraqi defence minister, Khaled al-Obaidi, said 90% of Falluja was considered habitable because the relative speed of the fight had prevented large-scale destruction.
The conflict with Isis, which also controls large parts of neighbouring Syria, has forced more than 3.4 million Iraqis to flee their homes. More than 40% of the displaced are from Anbar province, according to the UN.The conflict with Isis, which also controls large parts of neighbouring Syria, has forced more than 3.4 million Iraqis to flee their homes. More than 40% of the displaced are from Anbar province, according to the UN.
The collapse or retreat in Falluja is the latest in a string of setbacks for Isis, which has recently come under sustained pressure on many fronts in Syria and Iraq.The collapse or retreat in Falluja is the latest in a string of setbacks for Isis, which has recently come under sustained pressure on many fronts in Syria and Iraq.
The militants are close to losing one of their footholds in Syria, with US-backed Kurdish and Arab fighters besieging the town of Manbij in the province of Aleppo, an Isis outpost not far from the Turkish border which had allowed it to threaten rebel groups fighting the regime of Bashar al-Assad.The militants are close to losing one of their footholds in Syria, with US-backed Kurdish and Arab fighters besieging the town of Manbij in the province of Aleppo, an Isis outpost not far from the Turkish border which had allowed it to threaten rebel groups fighting the regime of Bashar al-Assad.
This year Isis lost Ramadi, the capital of the predominantly Sunni Anbar province, though much of the city was destroyed in the campaign. This year Isis lost Ramadi, the capital of the predominantly Sunni Anbar province, though much of the city was destroyed in the campaign. It is also in retreat in Sirte in Libya, in a collapse that came much more quickly than even the most optimistic western forces had expected.
During an insurgency waged by Isis group’s militant predecessor al-Qaida in Iraq, Fallujah was the scene of some of the bloodiest urban combat with US forces during the war. In 2004 more than 100 US troops died and another 1,000 were wounded fighting insurgents in house-to-house battles. During an insurgency waged by Isis’s militant predecessor, al-Qaida, in Iraq, Falluja was the scene of some of the bloodiest urban combat with US forces during the war. In 2004 more than 100 US troops died and another 1,000 were wounded fighting insurgents in house-to-house battles.
Isis still controls significant areas in northern and western Iraq, including the country’s second-largest city, Mosul. Isis still controls significant areas in northern and western Iraq, including Mosul.
The group declared an Islamic caliphate on the territory it holds in Iraq and Syria and at the height of its power was estimated to hold nearly a third of each country.The group declared an Islamic caliphate on the territory it holds in Iraq and Syria and at the height of its power was estimated to hold nearly a third of each country.