Alwaght- Iraq’s Popular Mobilization Forces started pounding Fallujah on Monday, marking the beginning of an offensive that aims to raise the Iraqi flag again in the ISIS-infested city, located in the Anbar province.
Joining forces with the Iraqi army, police, tribal fighters, the PMF is taking part in the assault on the strategic city, west of the capital Baghdad in a bid to restore security to the country and pave the way for the liberation of Mosul.
Reports said the Popular Mobilization Forces had taken over two districts on the outskirts of Fallujah by Monday night. The Iraqi military’s Joint Operations Command announced that an ISSI communications center was demolished and at least 34 militants were killed.
The Iraqi army’s jets also targeted factories and sites used by ISIS in the city center.
Iraqi Prime Minister Haidar al-Abadi said “the success of the [Fallujah] plan has been greater than expected.”
Earlier he had announced the offensive assuring the Iraqi people that Fallujah will be liberated.
“Today, we will tear down the black flags of these despicable strangers who abducted this dear city. The time has come to liberate Fallujah and the victory will be ours. ISIL has nowhere to go but to flee the city.”
Meanwhile, the US-led coalition said it conducted two strikes near Fallujah destroying a number of ISIS weapons facilities and bunkers.
Pentagon spokesman Capt. Jeff Davis said the plan to retake Fallujah marks the “beginning of the end” for ISIS in the restive Anbar province.
The timing of the Fallujah operation is partly related to the protests in Baghdad in which thousands of people took to the streets to demand enhanced security.
“It was supposed to start earlier, but unfortunately political disputes and the events that happened in Baghdad, which threatened security…all this delayed some of the preparations for this battle,” Abadi said.
The so-called Islamic State in Iraq and Syria occupied the city of Fallujah at the onset of 2014 along with Ramadi which was recaptured by government forces in December.
The exact number of troops taking part in the offensive on the city has not been disclosed. However, Iraq’s federal police said 20,000 of its forces were participating. This number does not included PMF and army fighters, not to mention tribal members.
Indeed, the offensive to retake Fallujah is witnessing a massive participation of Iraqi forces. This does not mean, however, that victory will be an effortless task. Instead, many believe the battle will be arduous and extended particularly that there are ISIS sympathizers in the city.
