– Reuters picBAGHDAD, July 13 – Iraqi forces retook two villages in Anbar today as part of their operations against the Islamic State group in the western province, security officials said.
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The operation began at dawn and includes troops and police as well as Shia militias and allied Sunni tribes, Joint Operations Command spokesman Brig.
Fallujah lies between Baghdad and Anbar’s provincial capital of Ramadi, which is under ISIL control.
There have been repeated government attempts to retake the province, including an assault announced after the fall of Ramadi that appeared to have made very little progress.
Hashed al-Shaabi said its forces were advancing northeast of Fallujah, an IS bastion which has escaped government control since early 2014 and where USA troops faced the toughest battles of their eight-year occupation.
Military sources in Al Anbar said they met fierce resistance from the insurgents, who deployed five suicide auto bombs and fired rockets to repel their advance on the city of Fallujah, about 50 km west of Baghdad.
The Iraqi ministry announced the arrival of the fighter jets at Balad air base, AFP reported. They are part of 36 F-16s purchased by the Iraqi government.
Meanwhile Monday, the Islamic State group claimed responsibility for a series of bombings Sunday in Shiite areas of Baghdad that killed at least 29 people and wounded 81.
World Bank officials say that the programme, which is awaiting approval from the bank’s board, aims to improve energy efficiency, reform state-owned enterprises and improve the effectiveness of budget spending.
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Al-Bab is a frequent target of Syrian army strikes that often kill civilians.
