Iraqi Army: Fallujah ‘Fully Liberated’ From Daesh
MEP: The commander of the Fallujah liberation operation declared that they have fully liberated the city from Daesh (ISIS/ISIL) terrorist group on Sunday.
Iraqi troops have entered the northwestern al-Julan neighborhood, the last area of Fallujah to remain under Daesh control, the head of the counterterrorism forces in the operation, Lt. Gen. Abdul-Wahab al-Saidi, told The Associated Press.
Al-Saidi said the operation, which began in late May, “is done and the city is fully liberated.” The Iraqi army was backed by foreign airstrikes and brave troops, mostly Shiite fighters.
Al-Saidi further said at least 1,800 Takfiri militants were killed in the Fallujah operation.
The Iraqi troops are now engaged on removing bombs from streets and houses.
Fallujah had been under terrorist control since January 2014.
Tens of thousands of people have fled the city as government forces fight to oust Daesh from the city, which lies 30 miles west of Baghdad. Overwhelmed by the exodus, aid agencies in the area have issued pleas for help, warning of a humanitarian crisis with insufficient food, water and shelter to care for the refugees.
Meanwhile, Iraqi Prime Minister, Haider al-Abadi congratulated the nation on the city’s liberation.
After weeks-long clashes with Daesh terrorists, Iraqi forces entered the center of Fallujah on June 17 without facing significant resistance from Daesh terrorists and raised the national flag on the main government compound there.
Daesh extremists still control significant areas in northern and western Iraq, including the country’s second-largest city of 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.
