Iraqi forces are now preparing outside Fallujah , where a battle to retake it is looming. Residents have been advised by the Iraqi government on May 22 to evacuate the city while the fighting has not yet begun. Fallujah fell to ISIS in January 2014 as the first city to be taken by the extremist group, as reported here in The Inquisitr .
Iraq begins offensive against Islamic State militants to retake Fallujah https://t.co/DZ7Athyqio pic.twitter.com/zGRs8FFAPY
— Middle East Eye (@MiddleEastEye) May 22, 2016
The Joint Operations Command of the Iraqi military stated that civilians are allowed to leave Fallujah through designated exits. Fail al-Essawi, deputy district council chairman in Fallujah, said that corridors in the west, southwest, and southeast of the city were to be opened for the evacuation efforts. Other evacuation procedures have not been exactly detailed.
Meanwhile, families who are unable to leave Fallujah were told to put up white flags to mark their locations, hopefully to keep the fighting away from more densely populated areas and keep civilian casualties to a minimum.
The Iraqi forces taking part in the operation are composed of the Iraqi military, counter-terrorism forces, police, tribal fighters, and Iran-backed Shiite militias. They also have support courtesy of airstrikes from a US-led coalition. Fallujah is one of the last remaining major territories in Iraq being held by ISIS.
The Sunni extremist group had already lost control of Ramadi on December 2015, which effectively cut off the supply lines between it and Fallujah, and then lost control of Rutbah on May 19. They also lost the historical Syrian city of Palmyra on late March, as reported here in The Inquisitr . These and many other losses on the battlefield highlight ISIS’ loosening grip on Iraq.
![Iraqi Security forces and allied Popular Mobilization forces fire towards extremist's positions in the Islamic State group held town of Besher, during a military operation to regain control of the small town, outside the oil-rich city of Kirkuk, 180 miles (290 kilometers) north of Baghdad, Iraq on Monday, April 11, 2016. [Photo via AP Photo/Anmar Khalil]](http://cdn.inquisitr.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/05/AP_16103499105481-670x414.jpg)
More recently, more forces have gathered as Shiite militias started to move military equipment into the area around Fallujah. According to Eissa al-Issawi, the exiled mayor of Fallujah, ISIS fighters had been retreating from the outskirts of the city to the center as Iraqi forces reportedly drew near and are most likely preparing to defend against the impending assault. He also stated that while civilians are being allowed to leave Fallujah by the forces, few have actually come out.
“We’ve talked to the government many, many times about making a safe passage for the people to come out,” said Eissa al-Issawi.
Fallujah had been under siege by Iraqi forces since late 2015 to weaken the ISIS stronghold before launching an invasion. They have set up blockades to control traffic going in out of the city, limiting the influx of food, medicine, and other supplies. This has had a tragic cost on the civilian population, resulting in deaths due to starvation. ISIS had prevented civilians from leaving, keeping them from seeking aid and safety outside Fallujah.
“They want to use them as human shields,” said Raji Barakat, Anbar provincial council member. Anbar is the province where Fallujah is located.
Haider al-Abadi, the Iraqi prime minister, has officially announced the start of military operations to retake Fallujahfrom ISIS.
“Zero hour for the liberation of Fallujah has arrived. The moment of great victory has drawn near and ISIS has no choice but to flee,” he said during the announcement on live television.
According to sources, there are still 60,000 to 90,000 civilians still in the city, which has been under ISIS control for over two years now. The situation has become even more desperate as battle between the ISIS occupiers and Iraqi forces draws near. Fallujah once had a population of more than 300,000, but years of bloodshed during the US-led Iraq war followed by the ISIS occupation has scarred the city for the long term.
[Photo via AP Photo/Anmar Khalil]