Morning Star.png Iraqi Troops Battle into Occupied Fallujah The Morning Star, London, 31 May 2016 Iraqi troops fought their way into Islamic State (Isis)-occupied Fallujah yesterday as a string of bombings around the capital claimed 24 lives. Backed by the Popular Mobilisation Forces militia, the Iraqi army pushed into the city halfway between Baghdad and Ramadi, which was liberated from Isis in February after nine months of occupation. Troops were reported to be advancing slowly from the south to minimise casualties among the estimated 50,000 civilians trapped by the fighting. Brigadier Haider al-Obeidi described the clashes as "fierce," with Isis deploying snipers and firing a barrage of mortar fire at the Iraqi government forces. Meanwhile, Isis claimed responsibility for bombings in and around Baghdad, saying they targeted Shi'ite Muslim militias and a government office. In the Shaab district of the capital, a suicide bomber rammed his explosives-laden car into a military checkpoint next to a commercial area, killing eight civilians and three soldiers. Another suicide car bomber struck an outdoor market in the town of Tarmiyah, about 31 miles north of Baghdad, killing seven civilians and three police officers. And in Baghdad's eastern Sadr City district, a bomb motorcycle went off at a market, leaving three people dead. Saudis and British On Sunday, Saudi Foreign Minister Adel al-Jubeir accused Iran of stirring sectarian conflict between Shi'ites and Sunnis in Iraq, and claimed that Tehran had troops in the country. Speaking at a joint press conference with British Foreign Secretary Philip Hammond in Saudi Arabia on Sunday, Mr Jubeir said Iran had sown "sedition and division in Iraq" through its policies. Iranian Republican Guard Quds Force Major General Qassem Suleimani, a commander of the Iranian Republican Guard's Quds Force, denied the accusations, saying Tehran would help Baghdad defeat Isis - but only if invited. "We will act when Iraq's Muslim religious reference, Grand Ayatollah Sayyed Ali al-Sistani, says there is a political and international need," Gen Suleimani said. Fallujah, the "city of mosques" on the banks of the River Euphrates, was the site of fierce resistance to the US occupation following the 2003 invasion. US forces devastated the city in two brutal battles to crush resistance there. From: <http://www.morningstaronline.co.uk/a-5e9b-Iraqi-troops-battle-into-occupied -Fallujah#.V00m6Pl9600> http://www.morningstaronline.co.uk/a-5e9b-Iraqi-troops-battle-into-occupied- Fallujah#.V00m6Pl9600 -- -- You are subscribed. This footer can help you. Please POST your comments to [email protected] or reply to this message. You can visit the group WEB SITE at http://groups.google.com/group/yclsa-eom-forum for different delivery options, pages, files and membership. To UNSUBSCRIBE, please email [email protected] . You don't have to put anything in the "Subject:" field. You don't have to put anything in the message part. All you have to do is to send an e-mail to this address (repeat): [email protected] . --- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "YCLSA Discussion Forum" group. To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to [email protected]. For more options, visit https://groups.google.com/d/optout.
