Iraqi security forces on Saturday extended control on areas around the Islamic State (IS)-held city of Fallujah in the country's western province of Anbar, at the sixth day of an offensive aimed at flushing out the extremist militants from the city, a provincial security source said.
Security forces, together with Shiite and Sunni paramilitary units, known as Hashd Shaabi, made a significant progress in north of Fallujah, some 50 km west of the Iraqi capital of Baghdad, when the troops backed by Iraqi aircraft cleared the villages of Zagharit, al-Bakara and al-Mukhtar after heavy clashes with IS militants, the source told Xinhua on condition of anonymity.
Immediately after the troops recaptured the villages, teams of explosive experts started defusing car bombs, booby-trapped buildings and many roadside bombs planted by IS militants, the source said.
Meanwhile, the security forces retook control of Albu Shejil area in west of Fallujah, after fierce clashes with IS militants, leaving at least 20 IS militants killed and five IS vehicles destroyed, the source said.
The troops also took control of the international highway in north of Fallujah and advanced to liberate the militant-seized town of Saqlawiyah, just northwest of Fallujah, the source added.
Outside Saqlawiyah, a federal police force clashed with IS militants and bombed an IS armored vehicle and a booby-trapped one, in addition to killing at least three snipers, he said.
On Monday morning, Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi announced the launch of the offensive to claim Fallujah, during a time in which the country is struggling in a chaos to reshuffle the cabinet.
"The offensive aiming to free Fallujah has begun. Fallujah's liberation alarm has rung, and the great victory is approaching, when IS militants will have no option except to flee," Abadi said whilst addressing the nation on the state-run Iraqiya television channel.
"Fallujah will return to Iraqis similar to the hundreds of villages and towns which were returned to its people and were liberated from the IS's oppression and treachery," Abadi said.
After initial shelling on Fallujah and IS positions in other areas in the early morning hours of Monday, the troops covered by U.S.-led coalition and Iraqi aircrafts advanced toward the edges of Fallujah as well as the nearby small towns of Garma and Saqlawiyah.
Earlier, the interior ministry said the army has almost accomplished the first stage of tightening siege on Fallujah and will soon start to break into the city.
During the past few months, security forces and allied Hashd Shaabi units carried out operations around Fallujah so as to tighten the troops' grip on the besieged city and nearby small towns in order to free them from IS militants.
Government troops and allied militias have currently been fighting for months to reclaim key cities and towns in Anbar from IS militants, who attempted to advance towards Baghdad after seizing most of Anbar province. (Xinhua)
