Iraqi-led Forces Enter Fallujah Center

On Friday June 17th, Iraqi forces seized a central government compound in the Islamic State-controlled city of Fallujah. For Iraqi forces and cooperating Shia militias, it is the first major victory in the city against the insurgent terrorist group, Islamic State.

Prior to the entry into the city proper, Iraqi forces had led a weeklong assault on the city, encompassing many of the surrounding villages.

Upon the conquest, the Iraqi flag was raised over the local council building, suggesting a significant success in the city and likely meant to morally boost the state’s security forces.

Despite the triumph, the Iraqi military has not declared full control over the Fallujah. Reports still indicate that there are substantial number of jihadists in or around the city. The forces are thought to be centered at the General Teaching Hospital and are currently prepared to fight the invasive forces.

This particular location is in the city’s downtown district and thought to be the stronghold and command center for the insurgent forces.

The passage of Iraqi forces into Fallujah, however, is not as ground-breaking as it would initially appear. Islamic State forces have long been known to feign defeat, often withdrawing from cities and leaving in their wake explosives to impact pressing Iraqi forces. Such IS operations are expected to occur as Iraqi troops continue to press into Fallujah.

Yet, a spokesperson for joint operations command in Baghdad stated that they aimed to rid the city of all insurgents in the coming week, citing the success in Ramadi after entering the city center and managing to rapidly clear the region of IS forces.

There may be up to 50,000 civilians still inside Fallujah, while thousands of others have fled the IS stronghold ahead of Friday’s advancement. A sudden retreat of Islamic State fighters at key checkpoints inside Fallujah allowed civilians to leave in “droves” a spokesperson said on Thursday. Some of those fleeing were reported to be disguised IS fighters, and so far, around 1,000 have been identified and captured by Iraqi security forces.

According to the Washington Post, many of the civilians trapped in the city are perceived to be sympathetic to Islamic state fighters. This perception has previously led to conflict and abuses between the Shia militias and the Sunni civilians trapped or departing from IS-held towns.

Most notably, around 600 Sunni civilians were detained in the town of Saqlawiya at the beginning of June. According to a member of Anbar’s provincial council, the civilians were taken to the al-Mazraa army base and promptly tortured by the Shia militia forces. Some of the civilians were killed during the interrogations, while many others had to be hospitalized.

Accusations of Shia militia abuses have been fairly constant during the recapturing of Iraqi Sunni regions,  and the reports of sectarian violence in Fallujah are consistent with documented reports since 2014. These attacks against the non-Shia Iraqi population have resulted in complications for military operations and aid-relief efforts.

Views are mixed on the degree to which Sunni civilians in the IS occupied areas support the Islamic State. Though Sunni civilians expressing open sympathy with IS is not unknown, Islamic State has undertaken significant efforts to threaten civilians into compliance.

Ultimately, success on behalf of Iraqi security forces and Shia militias is an important step in pushing Islamic State out of former strongholds. The entryway into Fallujah’s governmental center indicates positive signs for the coalition forces and could potentially create access to escape for trapped civilians. Yet, Shia militia actions against the domestic population complicates the process of rebuilding and reintegrating Sunni-dominated territories.