The US-led coalition against IS supports the operations in Fallujah and in Manbij, where it said its aircraft carried out 18 air strikes over the same period.
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Iraq’s prime minister says safe corridors were established to allow some civilians to flee, but residents inside the city and aid groups say nearly all of the 50,000 civilians inside Fallujah are trapped.
Fallujah, located 50 kilometres west of Baghdad, has been a bastion of the Sunni insurgency that fought both the USA occupation of Iraq and the Shia-led Baghdad government.
The city is one of two major centres held by IS in Iraq – the other being Mosul.
Iraq’s parliament speaker, Salim al-Juburi, held talks with officials from Anbar province, where Fallujah is located, as well as commanders and tribal leaders on the humanitarian issue.
Government troops and allied militias have now been fighting for months to reclaim key cities and towns in Anbar from IS militants, who attempted to advance towards Baghdad after seizing most of Anbar province.
The few hundred families who have escaped IS territory were camped out on the outskirts and residents reached by phone inside the city spoke of even worse conditions.
After a week of shaping operations aimed at breaking the two year siege of Fallujah, which lies about 50km west of Baghdad, elite forces launched a new, more aggressive phase on Monday morning.
The United Nations believes at least 50,000 civilians are trapped inside the city, but aid workers say that the number could be double that.
FILE – Smoke rises from Islamic State group positions at the front line during fight against Islamic State outside Fallujah, Iraq, Saturday, May 28, 2016.
The attacks come as Iraqi forces are attempting to retake the western city of Fallujah from Islamic State militants.
Iraqi government and military leaders have denied any pause in the offensive to push into central Fallujah from the south, adds the Journal.
No aid has reached Fallujah since September past year and residents have been living on dates, dirty water from the Euphrates and animal feed.
“UNICEF calls on all parties to protect children inside Fallujah, provide safe passage to those wishing to leave the city and grant safe and secure environment to civilians who fled Fallujah”.
“In Fallujah, Daesh has die-hard fighters defending a city they consider as a symbol for Jihad”, said analyst and former army general Jasim Al Bahadili.
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Despite the scale of the attack, which was supported by IS snipers and fighters using secret underground tunnels, government forces were able to destroy the auto bombs before they reached their lines.
