Although the Iraqi government declared Fallujah liberated last Friday, heavy fighting with Islamic State forces has continued for days. The government now claims that 80 percent of the city is under their control. However, Colonel Christopher Garver, a U.S. commander in Baghdad, said on Tuesday that Iraqi forces have only occupied about 30 percent of the city.
According to a senior Iraqi commander, Lt. General Abdul-Wahab al-Saadi, ISIS lost about 2,500 members during the fighting in Fallujah. This figure has not been independently confirmed. No solid numbers on security casualties has been released.
A dramatic change in tactics was noted on Friday, when militants allowed tens of thousands of civilians to leave the city.
At least 49 were killed and 48 more were wounded:
Five Shi’ite militiamen were killed and 35 were wounded in a suicide attack in Dour.
In Baghdad, gunmen killed two Sahwa members and wounded five more.
A sniper in Zankura killed an army commander.
Although Shi’ite militiamen are not supposed to be in Fallujah proper, a bomb injured a media officer with the Hashd al-Shaabi during a search operation in a central district.
In Fallujah, an airstrike killed 14 militants.
A strike killed ten militants in Doulab.
Five militants were killed and seven were wounded during operations in Diyala province.
An airstrike near Sharqat killed a militant official. Battles left 10 militants dead.
