Iraqi troops advance to liberate Fallujah

Dozens of Takfiri militants have been killed as Iraq launches an offensive to retake one of the two remaining Daesh strongholds, with Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi saying the “moment of great victory has drawn near.”

Iraqi jets bombed Daesh positions in Fallujah late Sunday, destroying an explosive-making factory and a court building where the extremist group sentenced many of its victims to death, the al-Sumaria news website reported.

According to volunteer Hashid al-Shaabi sources, troops pounded terrorist positions in northern and northeastern Fallujah with heavy rocket and artillery fire.

The districts of Harariat and al-Lifyah as well as Shahabi were liberated, the al-Forat news agency said Monday.

The offensive is being conducted by the army, police, counter-terrorism forces, local tribal fighters and a coalition of mostly Shia Muslim militias, Prime Minister Abadi said on Sunday.

Security sources said Abadi is personally supervising the operation and had visited the command center near the city to meet military commanders.

Fallujah and Mosul, the capital of the northern province of Nineveh, are the last two major cities Daesh still holds in Iraq.