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. A column of black Humvees carrying Iraqi special forces rolled into southern Fallujah on Wednesday, the first time in more than two years that government troops have entered the western city held by the Islamic State group.
Granny says, "Dat's right...
... Obama got our military...
... kickin' jihadi butt."
Granny says, "Dat's right...
... Obama got our military...
... kickin' jihadi butt."
Putin thought of going there first and ISIS starting losing...
The United Nations increased the estimated number of civilians believed to be trapped in Fallujah from 50,000 to 90,000, BBC News reported. The Iraqi military's elite counter-terrorism forces overran an IS-held area in southern Fallujah's city limits before advancing into Fallujah's southernmost Shuhada district -- about one mile from the city's center. While safety of civilians has been a top concern for the Iraqi government and for humanitarian groups, it has not been a concern for the Islamic State. The militant Islamist organization has shot and killed civilians who have tried to flee Fallujah and has used civilians as human shields.
A member of the Iraqi Security Forces holds on tight to a young child as he and others assist civilians, fleeing their homes in Fallujah due to the increased fighting between government forces and militants with the Islamic State (ISIS), escape the embattled city
Iraqi Federal Police Col. Taleb Fatlawe told BBC News that efforts to take Fallujah away from IS control have been slowed over civilian safety. "We stopped to let families flee. If it wasn't for the civilians, we would have been inside Fallujah three days ago," Fatlawe said. The Islamic State has prevented civilians from leaving the city despite a lack of food, water and medicines. "Our biggest fears are now tragically confirmed with civilians being directly targeted while trying to flee to safety," Norwegian Refugee Council Country Director in Iraq Nasr Muflahi recently told CNN. "This is the worst that we feared would happen to innocent men, women and children who have had to leave everything behind in order to save their lives."
Fallujah, about 40 miles west of Baghdad, has been under Islamic State control since early 2014. Iraqi security forces and allies began efforts to retake Fallujah months ago by isolating the city through the recapture of surrounding areas. The formal offensive to retake Fallujah began May 22.
Iraqi forces enter Fallujah city limits; fear for civilian safety limits advance
The deadliest attack took place in a commercial area of a majority Shiite neighbourhood in Baghdad. At least 19 civilians were killed and 46 wounded, police said. Another suicide bomber rammed his explosives-laden car into an Iraqi army checkpoint north of Baghdad, killing at least 12 people, police said. Seven civilians and five troops were killed in the attack in the town of Taji, about 20 kilometres north of the capital, a police officer said. At least 32 people were wounded, he added. Medical officials confirmed the casualty figures. All officials spoke on condition of anonymity as they were not authorized to brief the media.
In an online statement, the Islamic State group claimed responsibility for the attack in the New Baghdad neighbourhood, saying it targeted Shiite militia members. It later claimed responsibility for the Taji bombing in a second online statement, saying it was targeting the Iraqi army. The Associated Press could not verify the authenticity of the statements, but they were posted on a militant website commonly used by the extremists. The Sunni militant group often targets Iraq’s Shiite majority, security forces and government officials. Baghdad has seen near-daily attacks in recent weeks.
In a statement, the U.N. special envoy to Iraq, Jan Kubis, described the attacks as “cowardly acts,” saying they are “not only aim at inflicting a heavy toll on the civilian population, but also seek to weaken the country’s unity and destroy its social fabric.” “The Daesh terrorists should not be allowed to succeed,” Kubis added, using the Arabic language acronym for the Islamic State group. The deadly attacks in the capital and beyond are seen by Iraqi officials as an attempt by the militants to distract the security forces’ attention from the front lines. The attacks came a day after Iraqi special forces pushed into the IS-held city of Fallujah in a large-scale military operation launched last month.
Fallujah, which is about 65 kilometres west of Baghdad, is one of the last major IS strongholds in western Iraq. The extremist group still controls territory in the country’s north and west, as well as Mosul, Iraq’s second largest city.
Baghdad bombings kills dozens as Falluja siege continues
Prudent strategy - What good is saving a city if the residents are slaughtered by ISIS?...
IRAQIraq special forces 3km from Fallujah centre
More than 500 Daesh members have already been killed since the start of the operation
AFP
16:38 June 10, 2016
Fallujah: Iraq’s elite counterterrorism service moved to within three kilometres of central Fallujah on Friday and consolidated positions in the south of the city, the operation’s commander said.
Speaking from the edge of the city’s Shuhada neighbourhood, Lieutenant General Abdul Wahab Al Saadi said the operation to retake one of Daesh’s most emblematic bastions was progressing well.
“Daesh wanted the battle to take place outside the city but we have moved in, and retaken all this area in eight days,” he said, standing on a rooftop overlooking Fallujah’s southern neighbourhoods.
“Our troops are here,” he said pointing on his tablet computer to spots along one of the main streets in southern Fallujah. “That’s 3.1 kilometres from the main official building in the centre.”
“We’ll be there, in the very centre, in days. Days, not weeks,” he said.
Plumes of smoke and dust rose up in Fallujah’s low and grey skyline as special forces carried out controlled detonations of bombs planted by Daesh and jets struck Daesh targets.
“Which one? The building facing east or west?” the CTS officer asked in perfect English before taking a sip from a can of energy drink. “West? OK, you’re clear to engage.”
Minutes later, a jet dropped its payload on the target and a huge mushroom of grey dust rose up.
“Splash on target,” the CTS officer radioed back, confirming the strike was successful.
Prudent strategy - What good is saving a city if the residents are slaughtered by ISIS?...
its fighters are dead or gone, leaving behind a broken city of bomb-rigged buildings and empty streets.
Skye 14461266Putin thought of going there first and ISIS starting losing...
Putin never thought about going into Iraq, was not invited into Iraq, and never dropped even a paper clip onto Iraq.
Obama did it, and was bombing ISIS in Iraq before any other outside nation joined in. Russia never joined in.
But I can see why you are not proud of our military men and women serving in and over Iraq. You think Putin did it just by thinking about it.
My how you insult our men and women in uniform.
Putin gets credit - America's finest don't.
Putin thought of going there first and ISIS starting losing...
Putin had no need to go into Iraq. The Iranians have been working with the Shiite militias. Russia, Iran and Syria are allies after all with the common enemy of ISIS.
Oh and there were no US advisors just air support. And a thank you to those brave American men and women who are bombing the crap out of ISIS.
