BAGHDAD (Sputnik) – Lt. Gen. Abdul-Ghani Asadi estimated that up to 70 percent of the neighborhood’s eight blocks in the city’s Tamim district have been cleared of militants.
"We are closer to completely liberating the western part of the city and taking it under control," Asadi said of the operation against Daesh, also known as ISIL or the Islamic State terrorist group.
He expressed hope in the army's ability to liberate eastern Ramadi shortly and establish control over 80 percent of the entire city.
Up to 10,000 Iraqi security forces are estimated to be taking part in the offensive to reclaim Ramadi with backing from the Shiite Popular Mobilization Forces and Sunni tribal fighters.
