Iraqi army advances into Fallujah, recapturing two areas, strategic road

ERBIL, Kurdistan Region - Two areas and a strategic road in the southern ISIS-held town of Fallujah in Anbar province were captured by Iraqi joint forces on Tuesday.

"The Fallujah-Amriyah-Ramadi road and the areas of Albu Saiyf and Fahilat on the same road were all recaptured from ISIS militants and advances are ongoing," Mustafa Ahmed, deputy governor of Anbar province, told Rudaw.

With the help of US-led coalition warplanes, the Southern Fallujah Liberation Operation kicked off on Tuesday in the town of Amriyah, 18km south of Fallujah.

The Iraqi army, police, tribesmen, and warplanes from the US-led coalition have all took part in the offensive, Ahmed added.

He also said that the operation is of great importance to push back the threat of ISIS on Amriyah, paving the way to liberate Fallujah.

He went on to explain that "Iraqi forces have advanced 25km long and 5km deep into southern Fallujah [areas]."

Fallujah, which is now home to some 50,000 people, was the first Iraqi city to fall to ISIS in early 2014. It has been surrounded and besieged by the Iraqi Army ever since, and conditions are worsening as supplies inside dry up.