“The Iraqi army’s 14th division and Hashed al-Shaabi stormed the centre of Saqlawiya town from the highway and raised the Iraqi flag”, a statement from the Joint Operations Command said.
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As the battled unfolded – with Iraqi forces this week pushing into the city’s southern sections after securing surrounding towns and villages – more than 50,000 people are believed to be trapped inside the Sunni majority city, about 65 kilometres (40 miles) west of Baghdad.
The advance in Saqlawiyah came after several days of clashes with the militants.
Iraqi security forces rapidly closed in on key ISIS-held territories in Iraq and Syria on Saturday with advances to regain control of militant controlled towns, military officials say. Meanwhile, Iraqi forces have captured more areas in the Islamic State -held city of Fallujah as part of a major offensive that was launched last month to drive the terrorists out of their stronghold in Anbar province.
The UNICEF estimated the number of the children trapped with their families inside the city at about 20,000, warning that they face a dire humanitarian situation, in addition to the risk of forced recruitment into the fighting by the IS militants.
The U.N. estimates tens of thousands of children are in danger because of fighting between Iraqi forces and ISIS.
This is the first time in two years the Syrian Army has been inside Raqqa, the capital of ISIS’ self-proclaimed caliphate.
In another development, Iraqi forces foiled an attack by Daesh militants on the Ajil oil facility in the city of Tikrit, located 140 kilometers northwest of Baghdad.
“Many Iraqi officers expect IS to put up more of a fight for Fallujah than some of the other cities they have lost in Iraq, such as Tikrit and Ramadi”, adds AFP.
Taking heavy blows from Iraqi forces on the battlefield, Daesh has recently stepped up its activities against civilians inside Fallujah and other areas under their control.
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Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi says safe corridors have been established to allow some civilians to flee.
