Iraqi Forces Tighten Siege of ISIL-Held Ramadi
TEHRAN (Tasnim) – Iraqi troops backed by volunteer forces have tightened their siege of the ISIL-held city of Ramadi, capital of Anbar province, and are getting prepared to launch a major operation to retake the strategic city from the Takfiri terrorists.
According to security sources in Iraq, the army and the police backed by the Popular Mobilization Forces and tribesmen on Monday surrounded the city from east, west, and south, and are progressing towards the al-Anbar University in western Ramadi.
The Iraqi troops and volunteer forces are two kilometers away from the University, sources added.
A press release by a group of Iraqi forces states that “Ramadi is sieged by forces from the three axes of al-Khalediyah (in the east), al-Tash (in the south), and the 35-km region (in the west).”
Earlier on Monday, Sky News had quoted security sources as saying that Iraqi forces are progressing toward al-Surah, al-Sufiah, and al-Zera’ah. The forces had also managed to retake al-Ankur, south of Ramadi, on Sunday.
A commander of Iraqi army had noted on Sunday that the troops have repelled an ISIL attack on al-Baghdadi region, west of Ramadi, during which 35 terrorists were killed and the ISIL headquarters was destroyed.
Ramadi fell to the ISIL militants on May 17 in a serious setback for Iraqi forces, which has cast doubt on the effectiveness of the US strategy of air strikes to help Baghdad roll back the insurgents, which now hold a third each of Iraq and adjacent Syria.
Ramadi, situated about 110km west of Baghdad, is the capital of Anbar province. The strategic city extends along the Euphrates River and is the largest city in the governorate.