ERBIL, Kurdistan Region - Iraq’s Ministry of Defense announced Thursday it will launch the second phase of military campaigns to liberate the city Ramadi from the Islamic State, or ISIS.
“We concluded the first phase of the operation with a security siege on the city and ISIS has no power to move,” Defense Minister Khalid Obaidi said in a statement.
Obaidi added, “The first phase of military campaigns to liberate Ramadi started in May with the cooperation of security forces, Sunni tribes, the Hashd al-Shaabi and the US-led coalition. It was successfully concluded.”
Obaidi said the second phase of liberation is underway and Iraqi security forces are in control of Anbar. The defense minister stressed that ISIS has lost its once-formidable military power.
Farhan Mohammed, a member of the Anbar provincial council, told Rudaw in June that there was little cooperation between the disparate Iraqi forces. He said the delay in the campaign was to allow for US military advisers to train Sunni tribal fighters and Iraqi forces.
ISIS seized Ramadi in May in what is considered one of the jihadists’ most important victories.
Iraq's military campaign to push ISIS out of Sunni-majority Anbar province was launched in early June with so far few results.
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