And the official said multiple forces, including the Special Operations Forces and counter-terror squads, are closing in on east Ramadi, adding that they are well prepared to repel any future attack by the ISIL militants.
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On the move… Iraqi pro-government forces walk with military vehicles.
The group has launched a number of attacks since losing control of the city of Ramadi in the western province of Anbar a week ago.
Retired U.S. Army Lt. Gen. Mark Hertling, a CNN military analyst, said he is concerned that the Iraqi government might be trying to accomplish too much too quickly.
A coalition air strike on December 24 in Syria killed Charaffe al Mouadan, a Syria-based Islamic State member with a direct link to Abdelhamid Abaaoud, the suspected ringleader of the coordinated bombings and shootings in Paris on November 13 which killed 130 people, Warren said. “Every house is potentially booby-trapped and must be checked”. They captured all of it last May.
Osej said. “All water, electricity, sewage and other infrastructure such as bridges, government facilities, hospitals and schools have suffered some degree of damage”.
Previous battles were fought with the army playing a supporting role behind Iranian-backed Shiite militia fighters, although this risked alienating Sunni Muslim residents in Islamic State-held areas. They decided to make a run for it. We got in touch with each other and left all together at seven in the morning. “We ran for about 10 minutes”. ISIS leaders are anxious – and rightly so – that the world is approaching an inevitable victory against them.
The group killed the men after taking them prisoner at the base however only 400 bodies have been found since. “I believe they (ISIS) wanted to use us as human shields, along with our kids”. More than 52 families had been rescued so far in the city, he said. “It made me afraid”, said Zaid, who stopped studying after the Islamic State took over last May because they closed all the schools.
“We were waiting for the Iraqi army to secure a safe path for us”.
After the sniper killed the bombers, the building they were in was stomed.
“I am very happy right now”. One can only hope for the sake of so many that this is indeed the case – and sooner rather than later.
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UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon offered Wednesday to help Iraq restore basic services to Ramadi and allow refugees to quickly return to the city after it was recaptured from jihadists.
