Iraqi forces battle ISIS militants outside Fallujah
None
BAGHDAD- Iraqi government forces on Monday pushed ISIS militants out of some agricultural areas outside of Fallujah as they launched a military offensive to recapture the city from the extremists, officials said.
Backed by US-led coalition airstrikes and paramilitary troops, Iraqi government forces launched the long-awaited military offensive late Sunday. The city, located about 40 miles (65 kilometers) west of Baghdad, has been under the militants' control since January 2014.
The commander of the Fallujah operation, Lt. General Abdul-Wahab al-Saadi, could not say how long the offensive would take, citing terrain, the number of civilians in the city and bombs planted by the militants. Al-Saadi added that the first phase aims to surround and bomb ISIS positions.
