Iraq: Islamic State militants launch coordinated attacks in Ramadi city
Suspected Islamic State militants launched coordinated attacks on Friday around the western Iraqi city of Ramadi, overrunning a village to the east and clashing with tribal fighters to the west, a local official and a tribal leader said.
Ramadi, about 90 km west of Baghdad, is located in the Sunni Muslim Anbar province which is a stronghold of the Islamic State forces who have captured much of northern and western Iraq.
The city centre remains under the control of Iraqi government forces but outlying neighbourhoods have been seized by the radical Islamist fighters.
Hathal al-Fahdawi, a member of the Anbar Provincial Council, said Friday’s attacks started around 3 am local time. Islamic State fighters took over the village of Al Shujairiya, about 20 km east of Ramadi, where fighting was still going on.