Iraqi Government Forces Retake Most of Falluja From IS

Falluja, only 50km (30 miles) west of Baghdad, has been held by IS for longer than any other city in Iraq or Syria.

Iraqi government forces have retaken most of the city of Falluja from so-called Islamic State fighters who have held it since 2014, officials said.

Special Forces commander Brig Haider al-Obedi told AP that his troops controlled 80% of the city.

US Defence Secretary Ash Carter said there was “still some fighting to be done” as IS still controls a significant part of the city.

But Iraq’s prime minister hailed the day’s events as a “liberation”.

A senior army spokesperson said he expects IS to “suffer a total breakdown during the next hours”.

“The enemy is collapsing. They have lost control of their fighters. They are on the run now,” Lt Gen Abdul Ameer al-Shammari said.