Iraq Begins Liberating Heart of Fallujah

al arabiya english ^ | five hours ago | staff

[drewh]

The Iraqi Army has declared on Saturday the start of an operation to liberate Fallujah’s city center, considered to be ISIS stronghold in the western province of Anbar, Al Arabiya News Channel reported.

Iraq’s counter-terrorism forces deployed on the edge of Fallujah Saturday for the first time since an operation was launched to retake the militants-held city, top commanders said.

The counter-terrorism service (CTS), Iraq’s best-trained and most battle-tested fighting unit, moved into position on the boundaries of Fallujah.

“CTS forces, Anbar emergency police and tribal fighters... reached Tareq and Mazraa camps” south and east of Fallujah, Abdelwahab al-Saadi, the top commander in charge of the Fallujah operation, told AFP.

“These forces will break into Fallujah in the next few hours to liberate it from Daesh,” he said, using an acronym for ISIS.

CTS spokesman Sabah al-Noman confirmed the deployment but would not comment on the timing of an assault.

“CTS forces moved to Fallujah to take part in clearing the city from within. The operation is shifting to urban warfare after Iraqi forces completed the siege of the city,” he said.

“CTS forces will break into the city, that’s what they specialize in,” Noman said.

The news comes after paramilitary forces sanctioned by the Iraqi government have withdrawn from an eastern district in Fallujah they had taken from ISIS militants and handed over the area to Baghdad central command troops and tribesmen, a senior military official said Saturday.

Head of Fallujah operations Lieutenant Commander Abdulwahab al-Saadi said the decision over the district of Gourma came after an order from Iraq’s General Command of the Armed Forces.

[stocksthatgoup]

Why would anyone layout formations and battle plans to the enemy?

[drewh]

dash cowards are doing what they always do, refusing to fight and moving assets/troops elsewhere retreating and holding civillians hostage

Its not really a battle more like a surrender

[smokingfrog]

I wish them luck.

[stylin19a]

Liberate Fallujah...again

[BeauBo]

Fallujah seems to be going faster than Tikrit.

I think that ISIS is weaker now, and better known.

Everyone knows their IED and suicide vehicle tricks. Intelligence has accumulated on who is who, and how they operate and communicate.

They are completely cut off there, and everyone on both sides expects it to end with ISIS dying in place. All the cash they robbed upon conquest is spent, and their mojo is gone.

I kind of thought that the Iraqis, and the Iranian-run militias would drag out the siege and maybe give Fallujah the Carthage treatment (because hard core jihadiism runs in families, clans and tribes) - but ISIS is reported to have taken 10%-20% casualties in just the first few days, and to have suffered a decapitation strike that took out their leader.

ISIS may just be ready to fold.

They may need a whole stack of those refugee visas, and to have Obama and Merkel set up some regular charter flights for them in a hurry...

[GonzoII]

The end is nigh, next stop Mosul.

[ronnie raygun]

This impostor and his people have neddlessly allowed the enemy to retake most of what we had causing us to loose many of our brave soldiers a second time, treasonist

[WriteOn]

US funded mercs on th way!

[Tea Party Terrorist]

Soon it wil lbe time to arm ISIS

[JohnBrowdie]

fallujah was liberated once. obama gave it back.

[WENDLE]

Iraq is a total joke. The entire country is in shambles. Not one human lives in the town of Radii What a pathetic and misguided waste on blood and money they were and are. I could not care less what happens over there. We need to get out and STAY OUT!!

[BeauBo]

ISIS is not fighting unarmed civilians this time:

ISIS is greatly outnumbered and outgunned in Fallujah. The size of the assault force encircling the city (well over 30K), is almost as big as the whole population of the city (~50K). ISIS may have less than 1,000 hardcore fighters, or as many as a few thousand. They are light infantry - virtually without artillery, armor or air.

On Sunday, the Prime Minister said that the “current second phase of the Fallujah operation” will last less than 48 hours, after which the offensive to recapture the city will begin. I guess he means either the downtown or the whole town, because they have already advanced well into the city proper. We will see what kind of fight ISIS has left in them here, but no matter how hard they try, they are now going up against experienced opponents, and overwhelming odds.