AFP, Baghdad :
Iraqi forces pushed towards Islamic State group bastion Fallujah on Wednesday from areas to the south as part of operations to retake the city from jihadists, a commander said.
Forces from Iraq’s 8th Division backed by tribal fighters set out from the Amriyat al-Fallujah area south of the city and the Al-Salam intersection to its southwest, said Staff Major General Ismail al-Mahalawi, the head of the Anbar Operations Command.
US-led coalition and Iraqi forces are providing air support, Mahalawi said.
Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi announced the start of the long-awaited operation to retake the city early on Monday and less than a day into the battle, Iraqi forces had secured the nearby town of Garma.
That cut off IS fighters in Fallujah from one of their last support areas and paved the way for more advances towards the city, which lies only 50 kilometres (30 miles) west of Baghdad.
But with forces converging on the city, concerns mounted that the tens of thousands of civilians believed to still be inside had nowhere to go.
Fallujah was seized by anti-government fighters in early 2014 and later became an IS bastion. It is one of two major Iraqi cities still held by the jihadists.
Meanwhile, Iraq’s prime minister hailed “big successes” Monday by government troops after launching an offensive to retake Fallujah from Islamic State militants, but the operation promises to be one of the toughest challenges yet for the country’s struggling security forces.
Troops recaptured some agricultural areas in Garma, a district along the northeastern edge of Fallujah, under intensified Iraqi airstrikes and heavy artillery, said Col. Mahmoud al-Mardhi, who leads Shiite militia forces in the operation.
The U.S.-led coalition carried out two airstrikes, the Pentagon said, part of an aerial campaign that has seen an average of two bombings a day over the past week in the city about 40 miles (65 kilometers) west of Baghdad.
Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi toured the Fallujah front line dressed in the all- black fatigues of Iraq’s elite counterterrorism forces, saying the troops had achieved “more than what was planned for,” and “big successes,” but he did not elaborate.
He had triumphantly announced the start of the operation in a televised address late Sunday night, flanked by senior military commanders. The city has been under the control of Islamic State militants since January 2014.
“The Iraqi flag will be raised high over the land of Fallujah,” he vowed, saying it would be taken back from those who “kidnapped” it.
Originally planned to start more than two months ago, the offensive was delayed by political infighting and the deteriorating security situation in Baghdad, Abadi said.
Navy Capt. Jeff Davis, a Pentagon spokesman, said he does not believe the Iraqis have gotten into the city yet.
Iraqi forces pushed towards Islamic State group bastion Fallujah on Wednesday from areas to the south as part of operations to retake the city from jihadists, a commander said.
Forces from Iraq’s 8th Division backed by tribal fighters set out from the Amriyat al-Fallujah area south of the city and the Al-Salam intersection to its southwest, said Staff Major General Ismail al-Mahalawi, the head of the Anbar Operations Command.
US-led coalition and Iraqi forces are providing air support, Mahalawi said.
Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi announced the start of the long-awaited operation to retake the city early on Monday and less than a day into the battle, Iraqi forces had secured the nearby town of Garma.
That cut off IS fighters in Fallujah from one of their last support areas and paved the way for more advances towards the city, which lies only 50 kilometres (30 miles) west of Baghdad.
But with forces converging on the city, concerns mounted that the tens of thousands of civilians believed to still be inside had nowhere to go.
Fallujah was seized by anti-government fighters in early 2014 and later became an IS bastion. It is one of two major Iraqi cities still held by the jihadists.
Meanwhile, Iraq’s prime minister hailed “big successes” Monday by government troops after launching an offensive to retake Fallujah from Islamic State militants, but the operation promises to be one of the toughest challenges yet for the country’s struggling security forces.
Troops recaptured some agricultural areas in Garma, a district along the northeastern edge of Fallujah, under intensified Iraqi airstrikes and heavy artillery, said Col. Mahmoud al-Mardhi, who leads Shiite militia forces in the operation.
The U.S.-led coalition carried out two airstrikes, the Pentagon said, part of an aerial campaign that has seen an average of two bombings a day over the past week in the city about 40 miles (65 kilometers) west of Baghdad.
Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi toured the Fallujah front line dressed in the all- black fatigues of Iraq’s elite counterterrorism forces, saying the troops had achieved “more than what was planned for,” and “big successes,” but he did not elaborate.
He had triumphantly announced the start of the operation in a televised address late Sunday night, flanked by senior military commanders. The city has been under the control of Islamic State militants since January 2014.
“The Iraqi flag will be raised high over the land of Fallujah,” he vowed, saying it would be taken back from those who “kidnapped” it.
Originally planned to start more than two months ago, the offensive was delayed by political infighting and the deteriorating security situation in Baghdad, Abadi said.
Navy Capt. Jeff Davis, a Pentagon spokesman, said he does not believe the Iraqis have gotten into the city yet.
