U.S.-backed Iraqis prepare for battle for Fallujah

By Bill Gertz - - Wednesday, May 25, 2016

Iraqi military forces, backed by U.S. air power and Sunni militias, are massing forces in preparation for a major assault on the Islamic State-held city of Fallujah, says Army Col. Steven Warren, the U.S. military spokesman in Baghdad.

The battle for Fallujah, a storied war zone for U.S. Marines who led the bloody fighting there against Iraqis in November and December 2004, is pitting elements of three Iraqi divisions and several thousand militia fighters against an estimated 500 to 600 Islamic State fighters who took over the city in January 2014.

The city, about 36 miles west of Baghdad, has been a stronghold for the Islamic State based on its history as a major redoubt for its predecessor group, al Qaeda in Iraq.

Col. Warren declined to predict when the city would be liberated but said he is confident that the Islamic State will be ousted in the operation. “Fallujah is an important city, and we look forward to its liberation,” he told Inside the Ring.

A new feature of military operations outside Fallujah is that Sunni militias for the first time are coordinating offensive operations against Islamic State fighters. The lightly armed Sunnis, equipped with AK-47s and truck-mounted machine guns, also are slated to play a major role in holding the city and maintaining security once Islamic State fighters are defeated.

Islamic State insurgents have taken civilians as prisoners and are using them as human shields in a bid to discourage air and artillery strikes against key strongholds. The city is estimated to have 50,000 to 70,000 civilians. So far, there are no signs the insurgents are withdrawing in large numbers in advance of an offensive.

The total number of forces is around 20,000 to 33,000 combined Iraqi military and Sunni militia forces who are maneuvering in areas around the city. The main Iraqi military force is based at staging areas west of the city.

Elements of the 10th Iraqi Army Division are working north of the city, and parts of the 8th Iraqi Army Division are clearing areas south of the city.

Additionally, Shiite militia forces are taking part on some operations and have promised not to enter Fallujah, in a bid to ease fears about clashes between rival Sunni and Shiite militias. The battle is expected to be a test of U.S. support for the Iraqi forces and efforts to provide advice and training.

In recent days, at least 31 airstrikes were carried out against insurgents in the city from armed drones and bomber aircraft, Col. Warren said.

http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2016/may/25/inside-the-ring-us-iraq-prepare-for-fallujah-battl/?