BAGHDAD — A senior Iraqi commander declared that the city of Falluja was “fully liberated” from the Daesh group militants on Sunday, after a more than month-long military operation.
Iraqi troops have entered the northwestern Al-Julan neighborhood, the last area of Falluja to remain under Daesh control, the head of the counter-terrorism forces in the operation, Lt. Gen. Abdul-Wahab al-Saadi, said.
Al-Saadi said the operation, which began in late May, “is done and the city is fully liberated.”
The Iraqi army was backed by US-led coalition airstrikes and paramilitary troops.
“From the center of Al-Julan neighborhood, we congratulate the Iraqi people and the commander in chief...and declare that the Falluja fight is over,” he told Iraqi state TV, flanked by military officers and soldiers. Some of the soldiers were shooting in the air, chanting and waving the Iraqi flag.
He added that troops will start working on removing bombs from the city’s streets and buildings.
The announcement comes more than a week after Iraqi Prime Minister Haider Al-Abadi declared victory in Falluja after Iraqi forces advanced into the city center and took control of a government complex. While Al-Abadi pledged the remaining pockets of Daesh fighters would be cleared out within hours, fierce clashes on the city’s northern and western edges persisted for days.
The operation has fueled an exodus of thousands of families, overwhelming camps for the displaced run by the government and aid groups.
According to the UN Refugee Agency, more than 85,000 people have fled Falluja and the surrounding area since the offensive began. Like other aid agencies, the UNHCR warned of the dire conditions in the camps, where temperatures are well over 40 degrees (104 Fahrenheit) and shelter is limited, calling for more funds to meet the mounting needs of the displaced. — AP
