Iraqi forces in Fallujah are facing resistance from holdout Islamic State group fighters in just two northern neighbourhoods of the city, the operation’s overall commander said on Wednesday.
“The northern and central parts of Fallujah have almost been cleared of Daesh,” lieutenant General Abdulwahab al-Saadi told AFP, using an Arabic acronym for IS.
“There are few IS fighters left, only in the Al-Muallemin and Jolan neighbourhoods in the north of the city,” he said.
“The militants in Jolan are offering some resistance but we’re pushing back and we’ve killed a number of them,” he said. Operations against IS in northern Fallujah were being conducted by the elite counter-terrorism service and forces from the federal and provincial police.
Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi launched the offensive against the jihadist stronghold, 50 kilometres (30 miles) west of Baghdad, a month ago.