Iraqi Forces Liberate 47 Settlements Since Launch of Fallujah Offensive

The Iraqi forces together with local militia have liberated 47 settlements from Daesh militants since the beginning of the Fallujah offensive.

BAGHDAD (Sputnik) — The Iraqi armed forces and local militia have liberated 47 settlements from Daesh militants since the beginning of the operation to liberate the city of Fallujah, Abu Mahdi Muhandis, a deputy leader of the Iraqi Popular Mobilization Force, said Sunday.

"Fallujah is a powerful military stronghold of the enemy. 80 percent of terrorist attacks in Baghdad were planned and carried out by terrorists who settled down in this city. We have liberated 47 settlements in its neighborhood as of now," Muhandis told reporters adding that Fallujah has been "completely surrounded with an exception of a bottleneck near the Euphrates River."

According to Muhandis, up to 2,500 terrorists, 10 percent of whom are foreigners, can still be in the city.

The Iraqi Army and Shiite militias, backed by US airstrikes, launched the offensive to retake Fallujah on May 22.

Fallujah, located some 42 miles west of the Iraqi capital Baghdad, is one of the largest cities in the Anbar province. Daesh, outlawed in many countries including Russia, has been in control of the city since 2014.