As Iraqi forces advance on Fallujah, soldiers hope to reach city within hours

FALLUJAH OUTSKIRTS, Iraq - Iraqi forces fighting to liberate Fallujah from the Islamic State (ISIS) recaptured a large number of villages on the outskirts of the city on Tuesday, including the suburb of Garma, as soldiers hoped to reach the city itself within hours.

Iraqi forces, together with Shiite and Sunni militia fighters began an offensive on Sunday against ISIS in Fallujah, 70 kilometers west of Baghdad and the first city occupied by the militants when they stormed across Iraq in June 2014.

"The Garma district and a vast majority of villages surrounding Fallujah were recaptured from ISIS with help from tribesmen and Iraqi fighter jets," a source from the Anbar media office said.

Iraqi soldiers reported good progress and prayed they would reach Fallujah without casualties.

“This morning we made some advances toward Fallujah. Our infantry vehicles destroyed some ISIS hideouts and killed a large number of militants,” a soldier told Rudaw, adding that fleeing families were arriving at Iraqi lines at night.

“God willing, the advance will take place without casualties till we get to Fallujah,” another soldier said. “Fallujah is over there, only kilometers away. In a matter of hours we will announce its liberation from ugly ISIS,” he added, confirming that between 50-55 families trapped in Fallujah had made it behind Iraqi lines.

Meanwhile, Anbar Operations commander Abdulwahab Saadi told reporters, "There is absolute cooperation between security forces and the Hashd al-Shaabi (Shiite militia).”  He added that, “The operation is fully Iraqi without external intervention."

Saadi, the commander had earlier warned that a tough terrain, the risk of civilian casualties and improvised explosive devices (IEDs) ISIS has planted in and around the city were obstacles to a swift victory. He said that is why the offensive had begun by surrounding and bombarding ISIS villages around Fallujah.

Soldiers reported some resistance, but high morale in their ranks.

“There was some resistance, but thank God the morale of our soldiers is high,” an Iraqi soldier told Rudaw. “We also treat our wounded on site right away. We do not harm any civilians. We only harm militants who are with ISIS,” he added.

“We’ve designated safe corridors for families who want to escape, especially at nighttime. We’ve got information that ISIS kills people as they flee or uses them as human shields. But we’ll keep providing safe corridors for them. We’ll keep going. We have air support, and soon we will announce the complete liberation of Fallujah.”

Besides Iraqi military forces, the federal police and Hashd al-Shaabi fighters, Sunni tribesmen are also part of the offensive, which is backed by air support by the US-led coalition.

The Iraqi military on Sunday had warned Fallujah's civilians to flee the area if possible or fly white flags over homes, indicating non-combatants. It had been hard for civilians to flee because of ISIS mines and IEDs.

The Hashd al-Shaabi command said in a statement that its fighters had moved some of the families that had remained trapped in Fallujah.

Fallujah is the longest-held city by ISIS in Iraq.

A Kurdish-Yezidi soldier in the Iraqi Army who is fighting alongside Shiite and Sunni fighters also said he was hopeful that Fallujah would be liberated soon.

“We don’t have much left for the complete liberation of Fallujah. Soon we will retake it. All of Anbar is under control. Only Fallujah remains and that will take only a few more hours.”