RAMADI – AT 8:58 A.M. ET: Building on our report of last night, Iraqi forces have made further progress in trying to retake the city of Ramadi, but we have to be very careful about reports. One early report said that they had retaken Ramadi, but a later report pulled that back, claiming that only a government compound had been retaken. From Fox:
Iraqi government forces took control of the central government complex in the city of Ramadi Monday, liberating the city from the ISIS terror group, a military spokesperson said.
However, Gen. Ismail al-Mahlawi, head of military operations in Anbar, said that troops had only retaken the complex itself, and parts of the city remained under ISIS control.
The complex was thought to have been the last holdout for a few dozen ISIS militia members who had tried to slow the Iraqi advance through the city with snipers and improvised explosive devices.
"Yes, the city of Ramadi has been liberated. The Iraqi counter-terrorism forces have raised the Iraqi flag over the government complex in Anbar," joint operations spokesman Brig. Gen. Yahya Rahsool said in a statement broadcast on state televiison.
Earlier Monday, Brig. Gen. Ahmed al-Belawi told The Associated Press that the militants had stopped firing at the troops from inside the complex at around 8:00 a.m. (12 a.m. EST) and that "we believe that they were either killed or fled."
The capture of Ramadi, the capital of mainly Sunni Muslim Anbar province in the Euphrates River valley west of the capital, would deprive ISIS militants of their biggest prize of 2015.
COMMENT: Of course we want to see victory for our side, but we've seen this drill before. Claims followed by retractions. I'm guessing that the Iraqi army will in fact take the city, but ISIS can counterattack.
We we've reported, the ISIS leader has warned his followers of tough times ahead on the ground. They may in fact be hurting because of American air strikes. But don't be shocked if they react with another attack in Europe. This is an ongoing story.
December 28, 2015 |