22 February 2015

In Baghdadi, security forces have announced that they have liberated the Gassr area in southwestern Baghdadi, following fierce fighting in which at least 40 ISIL gunmen were killed. U.S., French, and Australian coalition warplanes carried out a number of sorties into the area and targeted more than 30 of the gunmen's positions. Meanwhile, security forces advanced into the area which engineering units cleared of more than 150 explosive devices planted by the gunmen. The areas across the river in the direction of the Ayn al-Asad Base have also been secured. Buildings in central Baghdadi have also been secured, and food aid is being delivered to the long-besieged residents within the town.

In Ramadi, ISIL has attempted for the third consecutive day to overrun the city from the south, but they were unable to penetrate the city. Iraqi air support and coalition warplanes provided support for the security forces that prevented ISIL forces from capturing the government complex in the city center. Anbar Operations is reporting that 14 of the gunmen were killed in the fighting.

To the northeast, a surprise attack by ISIL resulted in  fierce clashes with security forces in the area, who were able, with the support of tribal fighters, to thwart the attack, killing 4 gunmen of whom 2 were non-Iraqi Arab nationals.

In Fallujah, the general hospital has reported that 3 residents have been killed and 7 wounded by the continuing random mortar-fire exchanges.

In Garma, Clashes  were accompanied by the shelling of various ISIL positions in and around the township's industrial zone.

In western Anbar, ISIL attempted today to penetrate from the town's extreme southwest, but security forces turned back the gunmen's attacks on some of the checkpoints in the area.