Iraqi armed forces have purged Takfiri Daesh terrorists from two neighborhoods in the strategic city of Fallujahin theirlatest push against the Takfiri militants wreaking havoc in the Middle Eastern country.
According to a military statement released on Tuesday, the Iraqi elite counter-terrorism forces managed to wrest control of the northeastern Shurta police district while units from Baghdad operations command retook the Askari military area.
The Daesh elements were pushed back into a handful of northern and western neighborhoods of Fallujah, located in the Western province of Anbar.
On May 23, the Iraqi soldiers launched a massive military operation to recpature Fallujah, situated roughly 69 kilometers west of thecapital Baghdad.
On June 17, the Iraqi troops raised the national flag on the main government complex in Fallujah, with Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi congratulating the nation on the liberation of the city.
The Iraqi premier further emphasized that the advance would pave the way for the military to march on Mosul, which has served as the main strongholdof Daesh in the Arab country since 2014.
[caption id="" align="alignnone" width="555"]
Smoke rises from behind an Iraqi flag in a neighborhood of Fallujah on June 19, 2016, as Iraqi forces try to clear the city of Daesh terrorists. AFP[/caption]During the Fallujah operation, Daeshresorted to hostage taking among the trapped civilians, using them as human shields to slow down army advances. The offensive further forced over 85,000 residents to flee to government-run camps.
The Iraqi army is pressing on with another offensive to dislodge the militants from farmlands on the western bank of the Euphrates, from where extremistslaunch snipers and mortar attacks.
"The simultaneous attacks are continuing from four directions to tighten the noose around Daesh entrenched in houses among civilians and prevent them from catching their breath," said Colonel Ahmed al-Saidi from the Iraqi federal police.
The northern and western parts of Iraq have been plagued by gruesome violence ever since Daesh terrorists began their reign of terror in the country in June 2014.
By Press TV
