Iraqi forces surround Islamic State stronghold in Ramadi

            Iraq: Army retakes key Ramadi district as stand-off with IS intensifies1:19

 

Success ... smoke billows in Ramadi's Hoz neighbourhood during military operations conducted by Iraqi pro-government forces against Islamic State.

 Iraqi forces continued to make gains in the city of Ramadi, Saturday, reportedly regaining control over the city's Haouz area, considered a key stronghold of the so-called Islamic State (IS, formerly ISIS, ISIL) since their capture of the city. The army's assault on the area has been hailed a triumph by local officials, with the neighbourhood containing several strategic sites, including the main offices of the Anbar province administration and the police directorate. The progress of the Iraqi army comes on the fifth day of its offensive during which soldiers have reportedly established control over several major districts in the city, previously held by IS. The city of Ramadi is approximately 55 miles (90km) distanced from Baghdad, and is said to be the last remaining district under IS control, captured in May 2015.

IRAQI forces have taken control of the government complex in central Ramadi, the last Islamic State stronghold in the western city, a military spokesman says.

“By controlling the complex this means that they have been defeated in Ramadi,” said Sabah al-Numani, a spokesman for the force leading the fight on the government side.
“The next step is to clear pockets that could exist here or there in the city,” he said after Sunday’s assault.
“The complex is under our complete control, there is no presence whatsoever of Daesh fighters in the complex,” he told Reuters, using a derogatory Arabic acronym of Islamic State.
He added that the entire perimeter had to be cleared of mines and booby traps before troops could move in.
The fighting over the past two days had been concentrated around the former government complex, which IS fighters defended with snipers, suicide car bomb attacks and hundreds of roadside bombs and booby traps.
Recapturing Ramadi, which fell to the militants in May, is one of the most significant victories for Iraq’s armed forces since Islamic State swept across a third of the country in 2014.
Iraqi forces backed by US-led coalition air strikes had punched into the city centre on Tuesday, in a final push to retake the city they lost in May.