25 May 2015

Since the early hours of this morning, Iraqi Army forces supported by Iraqi gun ships, the People’s Mobilization, and tribal fighters are engaged in a broad military operation in Ramadi’s eastern areas, particularly the areas adjacent to Khalidiya and eastern Husayba; these areas have now been secured, while at least 12 ISIL gunmen were killed.

Meanwhile, Iraqi gun ships have bombarded a number of buildings being used by ISIL snipers.

Also today, large numbers of the People’s Mobilization have arrived to bring their total so far to more than 7,000 fighters.

There are also reports that the security forces are preparing for a major military operation to liberate Ramadi in the next few days.

Also this morning, Iraqi gun ships and coalition warplanes launched a number of strikes against a number of areas in Ramadi: in the Bu-Farraj, Al-Andalus, and the industrial districts, in addition to targets in central Ramadi. Three members of the ISIL leadership have been reported killed in the eastern Bu-Farraj area.

In Haditha, ISIL launched an early morning attack, but security forces and Iraqi gun ships repelled the attack, killing at least 35 ISIL gunmen.

In Baghdadi, the security situation is in turmoil as a result of repeated attacks by the gunmen on the residential complex in central Baghdadi, where fighting is still underway.

In Fallujah, hospital sources have reported that 7 residents were killed and 5 were wounded by the ongoing random bombardment exchanges between security forces along the city’s perimeter and the ISIL gunmen holding the city.

The humanitarian situation of the migrants remains unchanged, with thousands of families still stranded near the Bzaybiz Bridge; they have not yet been able to cross into Baghdad.