Iraq starts operation to drive Islamic State from Anbar

Iraqi government forces have formally launched an operation to drive Islamic State (IS) out of Anbar province.

The announcement was made by a spokesman for the Popular Mobilisation (al-Hashd al-Shaabi), a volunteer force comprising dozens of Shia militias.

The operation would see troops and militiamen move southwards from Salahuddin province and seek to cut off IS militants in Ramadi, he said.

The provincial capital fell to IS this month after Iraq’s army withdrew.

Since then government forces have been massing for a counter-attack, and they say they have regained some ground east of Ramadi in the past few days.

On Tuesday, fighting was reported south and west of Ramadi, as the Iraqi forces tried to cut off supply routes to the city.

The offensive has been welcomed by the Americans, with Vice-President Joe Biden pledging full US support, the BBC’s defence correspondent Jonathan Marcus says.

But he adds that Washington remains uneasy about the prominent role of Shia fighters, many of whom are backed by Iran.

‘New weapons’

The Popular Mobilisation’s spokesman, Ahmed al-Assadi, told a televised news conference that the operation to regain control of Anbar would be called “Labayk ya Hussein” (“At your service, O Hussein”) – a reference to a revered Shia imam.

BBC