ISIS militants have captured and raised black flag over main government compound in the strategic capital of Iraq’s Anbar province. Some 70 civilians have reportedly been executed in the city of Anbar which mostly fallen into the hands of jihadists.
In a massive campaign that started on Thursday night, extremists
have seized the government complex in Ramadi and also “raised
its flag over the police HQ for Anbar,” Iraqi security
source told AFP on condition of anonymity. The militants then
announced over the loud speaker that they “broke into the Safavid
government complex in the centre of Ramadi.”
According to reports on the ground, the attackers first used
armored bulldozer to penetrate through the blast walls blocking
the road to the police department. Once next to the government
headquarters, they used a series of car bomb explosions to reach
their targets.
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Three blasts targeted the education department in the same
compound, police HQ, and the western entrance to the governorate
building itself. Three more car bombs targeted the Anbar
Operations Command while four additional blast were reportedly
heard around the city.
Some pockets of resistance continue to engage Islamic State (IS,
formerly ISIS) fighters, a senior tribal leader, Sheikh Hekmat
Suleiman told AFP by telephone. “The only [government] forces
still fighting are confined to a few pockets in Ramadi but they
have no command post anymore,” he said.
Iraqi officials however deny that the city has been surrendered
to jihadists. “The situation in Ramadi is dire, but the city
has not fallen and the battle against criminal Daesh [ISIS] is
still ongoing,” Anbar governor Sohaib al-Rawi said on
Twitter.
Hospital officials said that at least 11 people had been killed
in the attack, according to Jordanian based Al Bawaba. Meanwhile,
ISIS claimed via its radio address that it killed 13 Iraqi
soldiers and executed 14 Sunni tribal fighters in the central
neighborhood of Jamiya. CNN meanwhile reported that at least 47
Iraqi security forces and 26 civilians were killed in the
fighting on Friday, citing two security sources.
Insurgents renewed their offensive on Ramadi in April gaining
ground to the north and east, before launching deadly assault
this week. Jihadi militants have also taken control of western
Anbar town of Jubbah and engaged Iraqi army positions east of
Ramadi, including an attack by a British suicide bomber ISIS
reveled to be named Abu Musa al-Britani.
“Another vehicle driven by
our brother martyr Abu Khobayb al-Shami attacked the Al-Majd
police station near Al-Haq mosque in Ramadi, followed by an
assault that killed who was left,” the group said in its daily radio
broadcast, earlier in the day.
Provincial council member Adhal Obeid al-Fahdawi told AFP that
“police, army forces and tribal forces are defending the city
as we speak to prevent ISIS from taking over entirely,” he
said. “Iraqi and coalition aircraft are in support.”
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Massive number of refugees are meanwhile leaving the city fearing
retaliatory executions by ISIS, Fahdawi added. “Families are
trying to flee on foot, leaving their cars and homes behind, but
most areas around Ramadi are under ISIS control,” another
tribal leader, Sheikh Jabbar Adjadj al-Assafi, confirmed.
Horrific unconfirmed reports have emerged stating that ISIS has
already executed some 70 civilians, including women and children
after capturing several neighborhoods in the city, Iraq’s
al-Sumaria TV reported quoting a security source in Anbar
province.
To address the security threat and the ongoing fighting in the
Anbar Province, Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi met military and
security leaders where he pledged to intensify efforts to “expel
the terrorist gangs from Ramadi.”
The PM also spoke to Vice President Joe Biden, who promised to
provide more heavy weaponry to Iraq’s forces.
“This will include delivery of heavy weaponry, including AT-4
shoulder-held rockets to counter vehicle-borne improvised
explosive devices, additional ammunition, and supplies for Iraqi
forces,” the White House said in a statement.
Despite new gains by ISIS in Iraq, the Pentagon continues to
insist that its anti-ISIS led air campaign is working.
“We believe across Iraq and Syria that Daesh is losing and
remains on the defensive,” said Marine Brig. Gen. Thomas D.
Weidley, chief of staff for Combined Joint Task Force Operation
Inherent Resolve. Playing down ISIS made gains he added that
Iraqi forces still controlled most “key facilities,
infrastructure and lines of communication” in the Ramadi
area.