Iraqi forces fight fierce clashes with IS in Ramadi

Iraqi security forces on Friday continued their battles for the fourth consecutive day against the Islamic State (IS) militants and moved closer to the central part of Anbar's provincial capital city of Ramadi, a provincial security source said.

Iraqi army police and anti-terrorism troops, backed by Iraqi and U.S.-led coalition aircraft, engaged in heavy clashes with IS militants in Houz district which is adjacent to the government compound in central Ramadi, some 110 km north of the Iraqi capital of Baghdad, the source told Xinhua on condition of anonymity.

The troops made a significant advance and took control of large part of Houz district, the source said.

The extremist militants focused in the battles on Friday on snipers, suicide bombers, car bombs and booby-trapped houses to hamper the troops advance, the source said.

The heavy battles in Houz district left more than 60 IS militants killed, the source said, adding that 15 security members were killed and some 40 others injured.

Also on Friday, Iraqi security forces repelled an IS attack on military positions in al-Mudheij area, just east of Ramadi, killing 11 IS militants who were wearing explosive vests, the source added.

Separately, a police force repelled another attack by IS on a military base in west of Ramadi, leaving nine IS militants killed and four of their vehicles destroyed, the source said.

On Tuesday, Iraq's Joint Operations Command announced in a statement that the security forces launched a major offensive to complete the capture of Ramadi and managed to seize the districts of al-Bakr, Dhubbat and Aramel, in southwestern part of the city after fierce clashes with IS militants.

On Saturday, Iraqi Defense Minister Khalid al-Obeidi said "Iraqi forces are close to free Ramadi" and pledged that "during the next days, Iraqi forces will free the IS-held territories in the provinces of Anbar, as well as Salahudin and Nineveh."

The latest offensive came as the security forces have recently made significant advance in Ta'mim district in southern Ramadi and several areas on the edges of the city as part of their efforts to flush out the IS militants from Ramadi.

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