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Iraqi security forces retake part of IS-held Ramadi, 39 killed in clashes

Xinhua, December 8, 2015 Adjust font size:

Iraqi security forces on Tuesday recaptured a large district in western the city of Ramadi, seized earlier by the Islamic State (IS) militant group, while a total of 39 people were killed in fierce clashes and air strikes against the extremist militants in and near Ramadi in Iraq's western province of Anbar, a provincial security source said.

Iraqi security forces and allied Sunni paramilitary tribal fighters stormed al-Ta'mim district in the western part of Anbar's provincial capital city of Ramadi, some 110 km west of Baghdad, after heavy house-to-house clashes, the source told Xinhua on condition of anonymity.

The fierce battle resulted in the killing of at least 12 IS militants and the destroying of two of booby-trapped vehicles, while five security members were killed and three others wounded, the source said.

The latest advance inside the city of Ramadi came and allied paramilitary units, known as Hashd Shaabi, have recently recaptured several areas on the edges of Ramadi as part of their operations to flush out IS militants from the city.

Meanwhile, a suicide bomber detonated his explosive-laden car near Hashd Shaabi fighters in Albu-Farraj area in the northern edge of Ramadi, leaving seven paramilitary fighters killed and 12 others wounded, the source said, adding that the huge blast was immediately followed by mortar barrage by IS militants.

Separately, 15 IS militants were killed in an air strike by U.S.-led coalition aircraft on an IS position in an area north of Ramadi, the source said.

The troops have been fighting for months to retake control of key cities and towns in Iraq's largest province from IS militants, who have seized most of Anbar and tried to advance toward Baghdad. Endit