Iraqi military officials have said that they have taken the southern edge of Falluja from ISIS . Two weeks into their operation to recapture the city , Lieutenant General Abdel Wahab al - Saadi said that the southern neighbourhood of Naymiya had fallen to his forces , leaving the military poised to enter the city . Falluja was the first major city that ISIS took control of in Iraq . Al - Saadi ’s comments came after the commander of the Iraqi paramilitary organisation , Hashed al - Islam , which is formed by units that enjoy the backing of Iran , announced that his forces would enter Falluja if other efforts to retake the city were found to be too slow . Prime Minister Ali al - Abadi has warned against this because of fears of sectarian unrest and likely abuses against the city ’s Sunni population .
Iraqi military forces have said that they have taken the southern edge of Falluja from ISIS. Two weeks into their operation to recapture the city, Lieutenant General Abdel Wahab al-Saadi said that the southern neighbourhood of Naymiya had fallen to his forces, leaving the military poised to enter the city. Falluja was the first major city that ISIS took control of in Iraq. Al-Saadi’s comments came after the commander of the Iraqi paramilitary organisation, Hashed al-Shaabi, which is dominated by units that enjoy the backing of Iran, announced that his forces would enter Falluja if other efforts to retake the city were deemed to be too slow. Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi has warned against this because of fears of sectarian unrest and likely abuses against the city’s Sunni population.