Elite Iraqi forces backed by US-led coalition airstrikes punched through Islamic State defenses in Fallujah on Friday, seizing the municipal compound and other buildings in the center of the city.
The breakthrough shifted momentum in the offensive that has raged for weeks, Iraqi officials said.
“They rose the national flag over the mayor’s office,” said Brig. Gen. Saad Maan, a spokesman for the Iraqi Interior Ministry. “They are chasing the enemy, who is fleeing the battlefield.”
Friday’s attack was a joint effort by some of Iraq’s best forces, including counterterrorism units, Army commandos and federal police. They spearheaded an attack that broke through militant defenses on the southern edge of the city and raced toward the city center.
The fight is not over. After the seizure of the municipal compound, Iraqi government forces control about one-quarter of the city, the Pentagon said.
In the past, when Islamic State fighters withdrew from cities, they left behind roadside bombs and other booby traps and continued to launch counterattacks.
