ERBIL, Kurdistan Region – The Iraqi military said Saturday it has captured a school in the outskirts of Fallujah in its ongoing ground operation to drive out Islamic State (ISIS) and regain control of the Sunni town. "After intense clashes with ISIS elements at Hatami Tai school in the district of Amiriyah southeastern Fallujah, the Iraqi army managed to reclaim the school, pushing back the group's militant in the area," said Saad Maan, a spokesperson for the Baghdad operations command. Speaking at a press conference Maan added that ISIS militants have launched several counter-offensives in the last two days to retake Amiriyah and other areas from the advancing troops. The Iraqi army has been locked in fierce battle with ISIS militants in Fallujah and surrounding areas for six months. But in recent days it has made headway into the town and pushed back the militants further west. US fighter jets are providing close air support for the army in its advance, especially after Defense Secretary Ashton Carter’s visit to Baghdad last week where he promised more support for local forces fighting ISIS. Fallujah and Ramadi— the two major cities of Anbar province — fell to ISIS in May after two days of fighting and the complete withdrawal of the Iraqi army from the area. The Iraqi forces are backed by Shiite militia and some Sunni tribal fighters. The Anbar operations have been slow and not without casualties for the army. On Friday 10 Iraqi soldiers were killed in an air strike by coalition fighter jets near Falluajh after they called in aerial support to repel an ISIS offensive.
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