Islamic State group 'must surrender or fight'

Iraqi ground troops have surrounded Ramadi and made progress to retake the western Iraqi city from the Islamic State group who are besieged there and have no choice but to "surrender or fight," says the commander of Anbar operations.

"IS has no choice but to either surrender or fight," the commander of the Anbar Operations Command, Maj. Gen. Ismail al-Mahalawi, told The New Arab.

The US Air Force has destroyed several IS positions and missile launchers in Ramadi, the capital of Anbar province, and are supporting 9000 troops from the Iraqi national army, the Iraqi federal police and Sunni tribal fighters who have now advanced deep into the city.

Iraqi forces have surrounded Ramadi from all sides and supply routes for IS have been almost completely cut, according to the head of the Iraqi parliament's defence and security committee, Hakim al-Zamili.

Captain Ali al-Dulaimi from Anbar's emergency regiment told The New Arab that temporary bridges were erected over the Euphrates River to enable the Iraqi forces to cross into the city centre.

Reports that the Iraqi forces are now in the centre of Ramadi have not been very accurate, but the city has plunged into street warfare, particularly in southern areas.

'Surprises'

IS militants have depended heavily on suicide bombers with explosive belts and car bombs and, as a result, the Iraqi forces suffered many casualties, according to the military leader of the tribal forces, Mohammad al-Dulaimi.

Dulaimi said that the coming few hours will be "full of surprises," but that the outcome will most probably be "in favour of the Iraqi forces."

No paramilitary forces, including pro-government Shia militias, are taking part in the operation. This decision seems to have been made to avoid a repeat of the scenario in Tikrit - a primarily Sunni city and Saddam Hussein's hometown - when stories circulated about acts of looting and vandalism and incidents in which corpses were being dragged through the streets, blamed primarily on the Popular Mobilisation militia.

The fate of hundreds of families who remain inside the city is still unknown, particularly that this offensive came before the 3-day-period given by the military for residents to leave Ramadi had ended.

On Sunday evening, Iraqi military planes dropped leaflets on Ramadi, asking residents to leave within 72 hours and indicated safe routes for civilians to exit the city. Only 48 hours had passed and not many residents were able to leave the city.

Any vehicles that move inside the city are immediately being targeted by the joint air forces, according to Sufian al-Ithawi, a spokesman for the Anbar tribes.