Posted on 05/22/2016 9:03:14 PM PDT by Mariner
Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi announced the launching of an offensive to retake the Islamic State group's stronghold of Falluja. The military told residents on Sunday to get ready to leave before fighting started.
"Zero hour for the liberation of Falluja has arrived. The moment of great victory has drawn near and Daesh has no choice but to flee," Abadi said on his official Twitter feed, using an Arabic acronym for the jihadist group.
He said the offensive would be conducted by the army, police, counterterrorism forces, local tribal fighters and a coalition of mostly Shi'ite Muslim militias. A US-led coalition that has bombed Islamic State group in Iraq and neighbouring Syria for nearly two years was expected to provide air support.
Falluja, a longtime bastion of Sunni Muslim jihadists, 50 km (30 miles) west of Baghdad, was the first city to fall to the jihadists, in January 2014, six months before the group declared a caliphate spanning large parts of Iraq and Syria.
Iraqi officials said Shi'ite militias, including ones backed by neighbouring Iran, may be restricted to operating outside the city proper, as they were largely in the battle for Ramadi, to avoid aggravating sectarian tensions with Sunni residents.
The Iraqi army, police and the militias, backed by coalition air strikes, have surrounded Falluja since late last year, while the jihadists have been preventing residents from leaving for months.
(Excerpt) Read more at france24.com ...
But a lot more jihadis died there.
Seems a bunch more will soon.
Meanwhile, the US allied Kurds et al are working to retake Raqqa, and the Russians are pretending to be really dangerous by bombing empty roads by Aleppo.
After taking Ramadi in December, it always puzzled me why the Iraqis/U.S. turned their attention towards Mosul. Yes, Mosul is the end-game but from reading many different articles it seemed to be a bridge too far at this point. The natural progression was always to take Fallujah next. It looks like someone else thinks so now. Drive ISIS out of Fallujah and then move north on Mosul. I hope that’s the plan now...
Do the Iraqis really want their country?
When Fallujah falls Saudi Arabia and the entire Saudi Pennisula will fall to the unwashed Shiite masses. Tick Toc.
The Iranians are licking their chops.
The Iraqis must be serious - their statement went out on their Twitter - they tweeted -/s
Like Obama they announced it ahead of time
That’s funny.
Thought we already conquered that city in that part of Iraq. Had real elections and all that neat civilized “stuff” like some water, power, and ability to walk in the street without sniper fire.
Now, what might have happened to cause us to lose it all in a sudden like?
/sarchasm.
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