“Of course, we will go in and rid the city from the evil of this cancerous gland, with nobody preventing us,” said Hadi al-Amiri, leader of the Badr Organization, the largest militia group within the Hashd al-Shaabi paramilitary coalition, speaking to reporters on the frontline near Fallujah on Saturday.
Under previous agreements, and by direction from Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi, Shiite militia forces would not enter the city itself but would only participate in the liberation of areas surrounding Fallujah.
Hashd al-Shaabi has been accused of human rights violations and Sunnis called for them to not participate in the liberation of the Sunni city of Fallujah.
Amiri conceded that they would not enter the city until all civilians had left. “We will not enter Fallujah as long as there are families inside,” he said.
His statement today is a reversal of what he said just a week ago when he confirmed that Shiite militias would assist in encircling the city but would not join the Iraqi army in entering the city itself.
The campaign to liberate the city from Islamic State has stalled due to fierce resistance from ISIS militants, the presence of many IEDs, and concern for the 50,000 civilians believed to still be in the city.
