Backed by their U.S.-led allies in the air, Iraqi forces on Monday began pushing into the city of Fallujah, which has been held by the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria for more than two years, according to news reports.
ISIS has increased its terrorist activity as its territory shrinks, and Monday also saw a string of bombings claimed by the group in and around Baghdad. At least 24 were reported dead.
{mosads}The offensive to retake Fallujah, which began about a week ago, could take weeks or even months as Iraq’s ground troops move slowly in an effort to minimize casualties among the city’s tens of thousands of remaining civilians.
“With God’s blessing we have launched the third phase of the operation to storm the center of Falluja city — by our heroes in the counterterrorism forces, units of the Iraqi army and Anbar police,” military spokesman Yahya Rasoul said on Iraqi state TV, according to CNN.
“There is heavy air cover for this operation from our heroes in the Iraqi air force and the coalition.”
Hundreds of people, mostly women and children, fled the city on Friday as the violence ramped up. United Nations officials are raising humanitarian concerns about conditions for those left behind.
The Fallujah push comes as Kurdish and Iraqi forces also move to retake the ISIS-held city of Mosul, in the north, as well as Raqqa, the group’s stronghold in Syria.
Meanwhile, suicide bombings claimed by ISIS struck outdoor markets and security checkpoints in and around Baghdad, 40 miles east of Fallujah.