Isis militants have launched a huge counter-offensive in the key city of Ramadi days after government forces recaptured it from the jihadist group’s control.
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Army soldiers and fighters from allied Popular Mobilization Units are now battling to win back militant-held regions in joint operations.
As an Iraqi army column advanced through the ruined city, an elderly woman emerged from a home waving a white flag on the end of a stick.
The incredible incident happened during the battle for Ramadi in Iraq last week and the staff sergeant was part of a small team of British special forces who have been advising the Iraqi army.
Local tribal leaders said Islamic State still controls about a quarter of Ramadi.
166955166957166957After Ramadi, bigger fights to come in Iraq against ISISThe worst finally seems over for the civilians of Ramadi, who are beginning to emerge after living for months under Islamic State control. Ramadi marks one of the most strategic locations on the Iraqi front, given both its close proximity to Baghdad, and placement along the Euphrates river and main road to Syria.
But during the live coverage, explosions and gunfire could be still be heard in the background.
Souad Salih, 19, said she and her husband had been yearning to leave for months, but the Islamic State refused to allow anyone to depart from the town. He said his family had hated living under the militants. “It is most probable that the center of Ramadi and its bridges have not been captured by ISIS but these initial reports still linger”, according to Al-Masdar News.
The fighters have imposed an ultra-hardline version of Sunni Islam disavowed by all major Sunni authorities, and carried out mass killings and rapes.
An expert SAS sniper took out three ISIS bombers by shooting through a 10inch wall, from a kilometre away with the world’s most powerful rifle.
He said the 10 vehicles targeted the Iraqi army’s 10th Division base northeast of Ramadi. The Islamic State is still holding more than 200 families as human shields, Karhot said.
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Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi said in June that the Takfiri group “conducts organized recruitment for children in 100 countries”, adding that the “exploitation of children for murder is a heinous crime”.
