ISIS gains control of new area in Ramadi

Members of the Anbar Operations Command announced on Thursday that Islamic State (ISIS) forces gained control of Al-Bakr neighbourhood in Al-Hit, west of the Iraqi city of Ramadi, after security forces and tribal fighters withdrew from the city.

General Rashid Flaih, the commander of the Anbar Operations (a sector of the Iraqi Army), told the Anadolu Agency: “ISIS forces have gained complete control of Al-Bakr neighbourhood in Al-Hit, a city located 70 kilometres west of Ramadi, after a battle broke out between security forces and tribal leaders against ISIS. It began last night and lasted until dawn.”

“Security forces and tribal leaders withdrew after they ran out of supplies and were no longer to reload their weapons,” Flaih continued.

Since June, the Iraqi army has been engaged in numerous battles against ISIS fighter in an effort to regain control of western and northern provinces of the country. With the help of its allies, including the US army and the Kurdish Pashmerga, Iraqi forces have been able to expel ISIS’ forces from a number of cities.