Iraq forces closed in on Ramadi Tuesday
and lunched an operation aimed at cutting
off the jihadists in Anbar provnce before
a major offensive to retake the city.
Ten days after the Islamic State group's
shock capture of the capital of Iraq's largest
province ,a spokesman said ,the latest
operation was only a preparatory move
before an assault on Ramadi.
The Hashed al- Shaabi is an umbrella
group for mostly Shiite militia and volunteers
which the government called in after the
Islamic State group captured Ramadi
on May 17
The Hashed said 4,000 men were heading
to the northern edge of Ramadi,Prime
Minister Haider al Abadi and his US allies
had been reluctan to deploy Iran-backed
Shiite militia in Anbar,a predominantly
Sunni province,
Anbar's province capital Ramadi had
reisisted IS assaults for more than a year
but fell earlier this month after a massive
jihadist offensive and a chaotic retreat
by securities.forces
The Islamic State group controls most of
Anbar,a huge province which borders
territory also under its control in neighbouring
Syria.
Pockets of government control include some
eastern areas near the capital the city of Haditha
parts of the town of Al Bagdhdadi and the
Al Asaad air base ,where hundreds of Us
military advisers are stationsed.
"The Iraqi security forces and Hashed al-
Shaabi have now cut off all supply routes
for IS in Ramadifrom the south"provincial
council member Arkan Khalaf al-Tarmuz
said.
Over the past week IS is likely to have built
up its defense by ragging much of Ramadi
with explosives,the jihadist group's weapon
of choice.
Washington on Monday moved to appease
Baghdad after Iraq's leadership reacted
angrily to comments by the Pentagon chief
accusing Iraq forces of lacking the will
to fight"
Asthon Carter's remarks to the CNN news
channel were widely perceived as unfair in
Iraq,where some forces have put up valiant
resistance to IS assaults AFP
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