BAGHDAD: Iraqi tribesmen battled militants from the Daesh group in their Fallujah stronghold for a second day Saturday, a significant challenge to long-running militant control of the city, officials said.
Fallujah is one of two Iraqi cities still controlled by Daesh, but residents — said to number in the tens of thousands — vastly outnumber the estimated 300 to 400 rebels inside it.
But Daesh has had plenty of time to assert its control over the civilian population and discourage dissent via arrests and executions.
“Armed confrontations between the sons of the Fallujah tribes and the Daesh organization are continuing,” an army brigadier general said.
The clashes are taking place in Al-Jolan in northwest Fallujah and Nazal in the center, the officer said, adding that the army was shelling Daesh positions on the outskirts.
There have been casualties among both the tribesmen and the militants, the officer said, without giving a number.
Tribal leader Sheikh Majeed Al-Juraisi said that fighting was continuing in both the center and north of Fallujah.
The tribesmen “are beginning to run out of supplies and need the support of the government,” he added.
Fallujah is one of two Iraqi cities still controlled by Daesh, but residents — said to number in the tens of thousands — vastly outnumber the estimated 300 to 400 rebels inside it.
But Daesh has had plenty of time to assert its control over the civilian population and discourage dissent via arrests and executions.
“Armed confrontations between the sons of the Fallujah tribes and the Daesh organization are continuing,” an army brigadier general said.
The clashes are taking place in Al-Jolan in northwest Fallujah and Nazal in the center, the officer said, adding that the army was shelling Daesh positions on the outskirts.
There have been casualties among both the tribesmen and the militants, the officer said, without giving a number.
Tribal leader Sheikh Majeed Al-Juraisi said that fighting was continuing in both the center and north of Fallujah.
The tribesmen “are beginning to run out of supplies and need the support of the government,” he added.
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