But Maj Gen Gary Volesky, the USA commander in Iraq, defended the performance of Iraqi government forces in the operation, saying they were playing a larger role than the Shiite militias in leading the isolation of Fallujah. The Sunni extremist group has controlled the city, located about 65 kilometres west of Baghdad, for more than two years.
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“We expect to face more resistance, especially because we are the only forces entering the city”, said Gen. Haider Fadel with the counterterrorism forces, one of the commanders overseeing the Fallujah operation.
He said such acts of desecrating the Quran by Daesh only strengthen the resolve of Iraqi troops and volunteers to combat the terrorist group.
“Al-Shuhada Al-Thaniya is the largest neighbourhood in southern Fallujah and its liberation marks the launch of a rush by security forces for the centre of Fallujah”, he said.
“They have their own plans and take their orders from their own people”, he said.
Led by the country’s counter-terrorism service, Iraqi forces and allied militias backed by air support from a US-led coalition began an operation on May 23 to wrest the city from IS.
ISIS fighters, who are mainly dug in around the center of the city, are using more than 50,000 residents of Fallujah as human shields from attacks by the Iraqi troops and coalition warplanes.
The Popular Mobilization Forces denied that.
A source at the city’s main hospital, who spoke with NBC News on condition of anonymity, said civilians were living in fear – both of being murdered by the extremists and because of bombing by the US -led coalition.
The spokesman for the US -led coalition downplayed any suggestion that the operation had stalled.
Civilians in Falluja are trapped.
The Iraqi military’s offensive to drive ISIS out of Fallujah has been under way for two weeks now.
A short distance further west, rebels fighting against both Islamic State and the government of President Bashar al-Assad said Islamic State fighters had pulled out of an area near the border.
“Another humanitarian tragedy is unfolding in Fallujah and the worst is yet to come”, said Bruno Geddo, the representative for the United Nation’s refugee agency in Iraq.
The army started the offensive on May 23, with the backing of Shi’ite militias known as Popular Mobilization Forces (PMF) and air support from the US -led coalition.
But progress was slowed since the security forces need to conduct de-mining and rescue trapped civilians.
The accounts – which could not be independently verified – highlight the apparent desperation of the militants to hang onto the city, their closest main foothold to Baghdad.
While expressing concern for the civilians, Garver said it was necessary for the Iraqi forces to screen those fleeing the city for possible ISIS sympathizers or fighters who might be among them.
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The findings are partly based on interviews with the area councilmen of Saqlawiyah, a suburb of Fallujah.
