PHOTO: Iraqi security forces defend their headquarters against Islamic State attacks in eastern Ramadi on Thursday (Associated Press)
Written in co-operation with the Levantine Group:
The Islamic State has taken control of Ramadi, the capital of Anbar Province in western Iraq, after hours of street-to-street fighting on Friday.
Islamic State fighters seized the city’s government complex at around 11 a.m. local time raising the group’s black flag. The militants also seized the police headquarters.
Reports indicate that at least 200 people, including many civilians, have been killed today. There are claims of the Islamic State’s abductions at least 50 soldiers and police.
Among those executed are the head of the Anbar Provincial Council, Sabah Karhoot.
During the fighting, Islamic State fighters used mosque loudspeakers to warn residents to remain in their homes. There was intense fighting and mortar fire in neighborhoods such as al-Qatanah, al-Thayallah, and Albu Alwan.
Sky News Arabic claimed that two Islamic State car bombs killed more than 50 Iraqi Security Forces and local police in central and northern Ramadi.
Today’s attack was preceded on Thursday by nine car bombs in the area between Ramadi and Fallujah, reportedly killing more than 150 soldiers and Shia militiamen.
Iraqi Security Forces have announced a counter-offensive into Ramadi over the coming hours, but this is likely to face booby-trapped roads and sniper fire.
Ramadi is about 110 km (68 miles) west of Baghdad. The Islamic State has threatened to take the city since it claimed much of Anbar Province, Iraq’s largest, in early 2014.
The militants took part of Ramadi at the outset of their offensive, but Iraqi forces reclaimed all of it by March. The militants continued attacks, including incursions into the city in May and October.
