International Coalition: Only One Third of Fallujah Cleared of ISIS Presence

A few days after the Iraqi government declared victory in the war against the Islamic State group in Fallujah, the international coalition led by the United States stated that only one third of the city has been cleared of ISIS militants. According to the Associated Press, Christopher Garver, spokesperson for the international coalition against ISIS, said on Tuesday that clashes between Iraqi forces and Islamic State militants are still ongoing in Fallujah, adding that "most of the cleared areas are in the southern part of the city." On Friday, Iraqi forces entered the center of Fallujah in Anbar province, taking control of a government complex and the city's central hospital. That night, General Haider al-Abadi, a commander of the Iraqi special forces, stated that his forces control about 80 percent of the city. Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi announced victory for his country's army against ISIS in the Fallujah battle, stating that the city has "returned to the embrace of the Iraqi people." He added that only areas remain "that will be cleared in the coming hours." However, in recent days, intense clashes continued between Iraqi forces and Islamic State militants who have entrenched themselves in densely populated neighborhoods in northern Fallujah. Garver noted that it seems that, similar to outside the city, ISIS militants have established defensive belts within the city, and Iraqi forces are facing tough resistance from them. Iraqi officials, however, claim that their forces are advancing inside the city and have killed hundreds of militants. On Tuesday, al-Abidi stated that Iraqi special forces, with air support from the international coalition, managed to take control of the al-Jaghifi and al-Jawlan areas. He added that engineering teams are clearing streets and buildings that have been mined. Late Monday night, General Abdulwahab al-Saadi, commander of the special forces in the Fallujah operation, said that at least 2,500 ISIS militants have been killed, though he provided no evidence for his claim. Iraqi forces have not mentioned their own casualty figures in Fallujah, while ISIS claims to have killed dozens of Iraqi army and allied militia members. This war has led to the displacement of hundreds of families. The UN High Commissioner for Refugees has reported that over 85,000 civilians have fled from Fallujah and surrounding areas, with thousands more estimated to still be trapped. Fallujah is the last city under the control of ISIS in Anbar province, the largest province in Iraq. Areas in northern and western Iraq remain under the control of this group, including Mosul, the second-largest city in the country.