BAGHDAD (Reuters) - Iraqi forces may face a big battle near Baghdad before they can try to retake the Islamic State stronghold of Mosul: Falluja, a long-time bastion of Sunni Muslim jihadists at the capital's western gates.
Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi's government and the U.S.-led coalition backing it have been cagey so far in plans for Falluja, which lies between Baghdad and Ramadi, the capital of western Anbar province that the Iraqi military recaptured this week from the militants.
Falluja was the first Iraqi city to fall to Islamic State in January 2014, six months before the group that emerged from al Qaeda swept through large parts of Iraq and neighboring Syria.Abadi said on Monday the army would head next to Mosul, the biggest urban center under Islamic State control. He said its capture would mark the end of the "caliphate" proclaimed from the northern city's main mosque in June 2014.
Update #1: Iraqi Forces Capture Ramadi From ISIS, Look Toward Fallujah, Mosul -- IBTimes
Update #2: After Ramadi gain, Iraqi army eyes next ISIL stronghold -- MWC News
Update #3: The War Against ISIS After Ramadi -- Zalmay Khalilzad, National Interest
WNU Editor: The last time the U.S. and its allies fought for Fallujah (7 November – 23 December 2004) they had 10,500 US soldiers, 850 British soldiers, and 2,000 Iraqi soldiers. When the fight was over .... almost 100 US soldiers were dead, 600 wounded. Rebel losses were between 1,500 and 2,000 (Wikipedia). Bottom line .... if I was a betting man i would say that the fight for Fallujah is probably going to be more bloodier than Ramadi.
" if I was a betting man i would say that the fight for Fallujah is probably going to be more bloodier than Ramadi."
ReplyDeleteIf the cities are roughly the same size and roughly as built up, I think it would just as tough.
I wonder if the rivers geography in Ramadi assisted the IA in sectioning off bite sized bits.