02 June 2015

Military reinforcements have today been deployed around, and surrounding, both Fallujah and Ramadi. There are reports that People’s Mobilization militiamen and security forces around Fallujah have given its residents 72 hours to evacuate the city prior to launching a massive military operation to liberate Fallujah that has been under ISIL control for more than a year.

In Ramadi, fierce clashes erupted today, allowing security forces to take full control of all the areas between the Euphrates and central Ramadi. In Juwayba east of Ramadi, a 12-member family was killed when an explosive device was detonated in that area.

In other clashes, security forces have taken control of the 35 km. area and the areas between Ramadi and Hit, leaving all the areas in that sector under security forces’ control. There are also reports that security forces will launch a military operation in the coming hours, following the shutting down of Ramadi’s water supply when ISIL closed all the sluice gates at the Warrar Barrage; water levels have fallen in Khalidiya and Habbaniya.

Iraqi and coalition aircraft have carried out strikes in a number of Ramadi’s districts, including the Bu-Farraj and surrounding areas, down to districts in the city’s southern sector.

In Fallujah, the ongoing random bombardment exchanges have killed 4 residents and wounded 9 others.