Iraq crisis: How tough will it be to take Falluja from IS?
The battle for Falluja, which has been looming for months, seems to be finally under way. The city has been attacked many times and bombed and shelled almost incessantly since it fell into the militants' hands in January 2014. It has withstood all that, despite huge destruction and many casualties. Now the government has committed […]The battle for Falluja, which has been looming for months, seems to be finally under way.
The city has been attacked many times and bombed and shelled almost incessantly since it fell into the militants' hands in January 2014.
It has withstood all that, despite huge destruction and many casualties.
Now the government has committed itself to "liberating" the city once and for all, in an operation codenamed "Break Terrorism".
Thousands of troops, special forces, Shia militias and Sunni tribal fighters have been marshalled for the offensive, and the Prime Minister has declared that "a moment of great victory" is imminent.
But there are conflicting assessments of how tough the battle will be.
Some believe that IS has taken such a pounding in the town that its ability to resist has been sapped. Others, in touch with sources inside the beleaguered city, say the militants have long been preparing to face such an offensive and have deployed their full array of defences, including many roadside bombs and booby traps.
