ISIL commanders fleeing Iraq town in masse

By staff & agencies

Iraq's army has asked residents to prepare to leave the ISIL (Daesh)-held city of Fallujah, state TV reported on Sunday, in a possible indication of an offensive.

The army "is asking the citizens that are still in Fallujah to be prepared to leave the city through secured routes that will be announced later," the channel said.

Fallujah is a city in the Iraqi province of Al Anbar, located roughly 69 kilometers (43 mi) west of Baghdad. In January 2014, a variety of sources reported that the city was controlled by the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) terrorist group.

Meanwhile, Senior commanders from the Daesh terrorist group have reportedly started fleeing the town of Karma in Iraq’s beleaguered western province of Anbar in masse as Iraqi security forces are making headway toward the area.

Iraqi military commander Colonel MahmoudMorzi al-Jumaili announced that the terrorist commanders have begun escaping from the town, which is located 48 kilometers (30 miles) west of the capital, Baghdad, and heading toward an unknown location in Anbar Province, Lebanon’s al-Ahed news website reported.

In another event, at least 35 Daesh terrorists have turned themselves in to Iraqi security forces deployed to the outskirts of the city of Fallujah, which is located roughly 69 kilometers (43 miles) west of Baghdad and is held by Daesh.

A security source, speaking on condition of anonymity, said the development attests to the panic, confusion and serious cracks within the ranks of Daesh.

Separately, Iraqi security forces together with Popular Mobilization units retook control of a strategic highway on the outskirts of Trebil Village, which lies in Anbar Province and on the Iraq-Jordan border, on Friday.

Violence has plagued the northern and western parts of Iraq ever since Daesh Takfiris launched an offensive in the country in June 2014 and took control of portions of Iraqi territory.

The militants have been committing crimes against all ethnic and religious communities in Iraq, including Shias,

Sunnis, Kurds, Christians and others. Iraqi army soldiers and fighters from allied Popular Mobilization units have been fighting to win back militant-held regions.

Salahuddin bombing kills 10

At least ten people were killed in a bomb attack in Iraq’s Salahuddin Province, north of the capital, Baghdad, security sources say.

A terrorist armed with an explosive device carried out the bombing outside the police headquarters in the town of Dajil, al-Zahra region, Sumer News Agency quoted an Iraqi Interior Ministry spokesman as saying.

An unnamed security source said 10 people were killed and more than a dozen others wounded when the assailant was stopped by an officer and blew up the device.

The Iraqi Interior Ministry, however, has released a different count putting the casualty numbers at three killed and eight wounded.