9 May 2014

A security  campaign in Fallujah which is still underway has involved a three-pronged incursion into the city: firstly, from the south in the area of Fallujah University, from the north in the Al-Sichir area, and from the east in the area of the main Fallujah - Baghdad highway. The operation involved random shelling, ground attacks, and air attacks on all three fronts. The fierce battles which are still raging have not resulted in any advances by the army and its supporting forces because of the fierce resistance by the gunmen. Initial estimates indicate that 16 people, mostly civilians, have been killed and 29 have been wounded as a result of the fighting.

There has been a mass exodus by hundreds of families from the city - on foot, because no vehicles are moving in the city - trying to reach more secure areas. Cell phone services have also been cut off, as have all means of communication as well as internet access.

Two areas outside Fallujah - Al-Fallahat and Al-Bu Alwan - have also been the scene of security operations carried out by SWAT teams and local police forces attempting to overrun the areas, but clashes and random shelling - which began last night and are still ongoing - have not yet decided the outcome.

So far there has been no official news or any statements by the security command in the governorate regarding the fighting raging in Fallujah.