21 April 2015

In the town of Sufiya in northeastern Ramadi, security forces have taken control of most of the area, and have disarmed more than 100 explosive devices planted by ISIL gunmen along the main roads there. The forces are advancing following the liberation of Streets 100 and 40 that link the area with central Ramadi.

Clashes have resumed in Ramadi’s central and southwestern districts. ISIL gunmen had launched an attack toward the southern districts, but security forces backed up by Iraqi air support have turned back the attack and have taken control of the areas around the al-Haqq Mosque and the Grand State Mosque in central Ramadi.

Military operations are continuing in the Bu-Farraj area while Iraqi air support and coalition warplanes carried out a number of strikes against ISIL positions in the area. Meanwhile six additional Federal Police, local police, and tribal volunteer regiments have reached Ramadi.

Hundreds of families are making their way back to their homes in Ramadi, following a false alarm and rumors spread by ISIL about an impending attack by the gunmen.

In Baghdadi, a military interdiction operation has enabled Iraqi forces with Iraqi air support and coalition air strikes to penetrate into the eastern sector of the town. There are reports that three regiments have reached Baghdadi to bolster an imminent operation aimed at restoring control over the area in which gunmen have blown up at least 50 homes belonging to security forces personnel.

In Fallujah, five residents have been reported killed and at least 34 wounded by the ongoing random bombardment exchanges between security forces along the city’s perimeter and the ISIL gunmen holding the city.

In Garma, the second phase of the operation aimed at securing the town center has been continuing with security forces reporting that they are now within one kilometer away from the center.