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A victory by Iraqi forces would make Ramadi the second city, after Tikrit, to be retaken by the government in Baghdad. Militants had bobby-trapped bridges, leading to Ramadi and had positioned snipers in key areas.
Iraqi troops had encircled the city last month, but progress was slow.
Col. Steve Warren, U.S. military spokesman in Baghdad congratulated Iraqi forces for “their continued success” against ISIS.
Earlier Monday, Brig. Gen. Ahmed al-Belawi told The Associated Press that the militants had stopped firing at the troops from inside the complex at around 8:00 a.m. (12 a.m. EST) and that “we believe that they were either killed or fled”. Beyond statements from the Iraqi government and from its media outlets, few have claimed the city is fully liberated. “There are still neighborhoods under their control and there are still resistance pockets”.
TV pictures showed troops raising the Iraqi flag over the government complex.
The U.S. military carried out at least 29 airstrikes between December 20 and Saturday in and around Ramadi, with more on Sunday, U.S. officials said.
The operation also boosts Iraqi forces, Heras said.
The Iraqi army was humiliated in that advance, abandoning city after city and leaving fleets of American armored vehicles and other weapons in the militants’ hands. There was no immediate word on casualties from the fighting.
“The most important thing is to secure it [Ramadi] because Daesh can bounce back”, he said in an interview from Baghdad, using the Arabic acronym for the Islamic State group.
“2016 will be the year of the big and final victory, when Daesh’s presence in Iraq will be terminated”, he said.
The extremists control large swaths of land in western and northern Iraq and in neighboring Syria.
Another Iraqi military commander, Abdul Ghani Al Assad, said ISIL still held outlying districts of Ramadi but that the group’s fighters were now on the run.
Mark Kimmitt, a former USA assistant secretary of political and military affairs, said recapturing Ramadi was just a small part of defeating ISIL.
The Iraqi army has declared a victory against the Islamic State, having reportedly retaken a city once held by the terrorist organization.
“We will continue to support our partners fighting against ISIL on the ground until it is defeated”, the official said.
Despite the successful push to liberate Iraq from evil ISIS, the sick jihadis still have strongholds in the area.
It was backed by US-led coalition air strikes.
“That support will continue as the mission in Ramadi is completed and we prepare for post-conflict stabilization”.
