Iraq forces take full control of Fallujah
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FALLUJAH: (APP) Iraqi forces took the Islamic State group's last positions in the city of Fallujah Sunday, establishing full control over one of the miltants' most emblematic bastions after a month-long operation.
Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi had already declared victory on June 17 after IS defences collapsed, with Iraqi forces facing only limited resistance in subsequent clearing operations.
The offensive saw tens of thousands of civilians risk death to flee their homes, leaving Iraq to grapple with a humanitarian crisis as its forces prepare to attack the last remaining major IS hub of Mosul.
"The Iraqi security forces now control the whole city of Fallujah," said Sabah al-Noman, spokesman for the elite counter-terrorism service (CTS) that has been leading the fight.
CTS fighters on Sunday eased into Jolan, a northwestern neighbourhood of Fallujah where the last IS fighters in the city were believed to be holed up.
"Jolan was Daesh's last stronghold in the city and Fallujah is now free of the threat posed by Daesh terrorists," he said.
"It did not take more than two hours for CTS to retake Jolan. Daesh did not fire a single bullet," Noman said. "This proves that Daesh was defeated even before our forces got there."
