Iraq sent three regiments to battle the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria militants, who control much of the major Iraqi city of Ramadi, just 100 miles west of Iraq’s capital Baghdad, according to yesterday’s reports.
The Islamic State was forced to withdraw their black flag from over a Ramadi government building when U.S.-led airstrikes bombed the city today.
High profile Iraqi officials told the BBC “the situation is dire.”
Ramadi is the capital of the Iraq’s largest province, Anbar. It is strategically important and if the city falls, it will have major repercussions for Iraq’s government.
The Iraqi push to reclaim the area is being supported by U.S.-led coalition airstrikes.
The jihadis’ advance has been unaffected by the U.S. special forces raid into Syria that killed a senior Islamic State group leader last night.
This original article was published at 1:28 p.m. It has been updated.
