Fallujah “is liberated”, later tweeted Sohaib Alrawi, the governor of Anbar, Iraq’s largest province, where the city is located.
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On Friday, Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi declared victory after special forces entered the city centre, capturing government buildings and the central hospital.
Displaced Iraqis from the city of Fallujah rest at a safe zone on June 17, 2016 in Amiriyiah al-Fallujah, after they were evacuated by Iraqi government forces due to their ongoing military operation to retake the city from the Islamic State (IS) group.
The dramatic video has emerged soon after aid workers claimed Islamic State was shooting civilians as they tried to escape fighting in the city of Fallujah, west of Baghdad.
Iraqi special forces backed by U.S.-led airstrikes have taken control of the neighborhoods of al-Shurta and al-Jughaifi, al-Obeidi told the AP on Tuesday.
He said Iraqi forces “are still advancing despite the strong clashes”.
He cited Iraqi police reports as saying 1,086 IS-linked suspects have been arrested. Shiite militias remained outside Fallujah and have not taken part in the recent battles.
The aid group, which runs displacement camps around the city, said another 32,000 people had already been displaced after the start of the government offensive against the IS bastion almost a month ago.
He said $15 million is a small portion of the $65 million needed to respond to Fallujah’s needs, and he called on donors to urgently provide additional funds.
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According to United Nations figures, the violence has forced more than 3.4 million Iraqis to flee their homes. “If they collapse on the western axis and our forces reach Golan, you won’t hear any more shots inside Falluja”, declared the commander.
