City of Fallujah in Iraq, one of Daesh’s strongholds, is under the control of government forces again, the head of counter-terrorism forces, Lt. Gen. Abdul Vahad Saadi stated.
Iraqi troops are in the Golan Heights, the district located to the north-west of the city, which was the last one controlled by Daesh. According to Saadi, Fallujah is fully liberated now.
The general said that 1,800 militants were eliminated during the operation, BBC reports.
According to observers, it was not easy to return Fallujah: tens of thousands residents had to leave their home. According to the Norwegian Refugee Council, many of them, including the elderly, women and children are living now under the scorching sun during the summer heat with no roof over their heads.
Iraqi Prime Minister Haydar al-Abadi urged residents of Fallujah to come out to the streets and squares of the city in order to celebrate its final liberation, RIA Novosti reports referring to the TV channel AlsumariaTV.
Al-Abadi arrived in Fallujah and raised the national flag at the center of the city, and called the local residents to the city’s streets. Prime Minister assured that the flag of Iraq will soon appear in Mosul, the center of the second largest city that was captured by Daesh.
The commander of the Shiite militia Hadi al-Amiri noted that the liberation of the city was the merit of the combined forces that fought against the terrorists.
"We congratulate all dear Iraqi people of the community, especially families of the dead and wounded, congratulations with full liberation of Fallujah,’’ Sputnik cites him as saying.
Al-Amiri recalled that the city was liberated by the government troops, local militia, Shia volunteer groups and the Kurdish Peshmerga.
Iraqi Prime Minister congratulated the UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon with the liberation of Fallujah. "The Secretary-General welcomed the progress achieved by Iraqi security forces in the liberated areas.
At the same time, Ban Ki-moon also expressed concern about the information on harassment of refugees and welcomed al-Abadi's decision to establish a committee to investigate possible human rights violations.
According to the UN, more than 68,000 people left their homes during the Battle for Fallujah. Initially, its population was only about 90,000 people. In addition, according to media reports, the security forces seized about 20,000 people due to a fear that terrorists may be terrorists among those who tried to leave the city as a refugee.
