Iraqi forces tighten noose around Ramadi

Ten days after the Islamic State group’s shock capture of the capital of Iraq’s largest province, a spokesman said the latest operation was only a preparatory move before an assault on Ramadi.

The operation will see a mix of security forces and paramilitaries move south towards the city from Salaheddin province, said Hashed al-Shaabi spokesman Ahmed al-<g data-gr-id="36">Assadi</g>.

The Hashed al-Shaabi (“popular mobilisation” in Arabic) is an umbrella group for mostly Shiite militia and volunteers, which the government called in after the Islamic State group captured Ramadi on May 17. “The operation’s goal is to liberate those regions between <g data-gr-id="37">Salaheddin</g> and Anbar and try to isolate the province of Anbar,” <g data-gr-id="38">Assadi</g> told AFP.

He said it had been dubbed “Operation Labaik ya Hussein”, which roughly translates as “We are at your service, Hussein” and refers to one of the most revered imams in Shiite Islam. The Hashed said 4,000 men were heading to the northern edge of Ramadi.

Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi and his US allies had been reluctant to deploy Iran-backed Shiite militia in Anbar, a predominantly Sunni province.

Anbar’s provincial capital Ramadi had resisted IS assaults for more than a year but fell earlier this month after a massive jihadist offensive and a chaotic retreat by security forces.

The Islamic State group controls most of Anbar, a huge province which borders territory also under its control in neighbouring Syria.

Pockets of government control include some eastern areas near the capital, the city of Haditha, parts of the town of Al-Baghdadi and the Al-Asad air base, where hundreds of US military advisers are stationed.

Regular forces and Hashed al-Shaabi paramilitaries also made progress south and west of Ramadi, an army lieutenant colonel told <g data-gr-id="31">AFP,</g> and retook an area called Al-<g data-gr-id="33">Taesh</g>.

“The Iraqi security forces and Hashed al-Shaabi have now cut off all supply routes for IS in Ramadi from the south,” provincial council member Arkan Khalaf al-<g data-gr-id="30">Tarmuz</g> said.

Over the past week, IS is likely to have built up its defences by rigging much of Ramadi with explosives, the jihadist group’s weapon of choice.