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 Iraqi troops began advancing on Tuesday in an offensive
complicated by rivalries and suspicions harbored by local Sunni
tribes and by Shia militia backed by Iran. U.S. officials, concerned
also by militant operations over the border in Syria, have expressed
frustration at delays in seizing back the city.
"In the coming days will be announced the good news of the complete
liberation of Ramadi," Iraqia TV cited army chief of staff Lt.
General Othman al-Ghanemi as saying.
Government troops are now concentrating on the last district held by
the militants in the center of Ramadi, a Sunni Muslim city on the
river Euphrates some 100 km (60 miles) west of Baghdad and capital
of Anbar province.
 If it is captured, it will be the second major city after Tikrit to
be retaken from Islamic State in Iraq. It would provide a major
psychological boost to Iraqi security forces after the militant
group seized a third of Iraq, a major OPEC oil producer and U.S
ally, in a sweeping advance last year.Progress has been slow because
the government wants to rely entirely on its own troops and not use
Shi'ite militias in order to avoid rights abuses such as occurred
after the recapture of Tikrit from the militants in April.
Iraqi officials say Shi'ite militias are reluctant to yield power
amassed with Iranian backing, making it hard to forge a unified
strategy. Operations are also complicated by competition for
influence in Baghdad between Washington and Tehran.
Local Sunni tribes have not been involved directly in the assault,
but have been active in support activities across the province - a
contrast to the U.S.-backed Tribal Awakening campaign ten years ago
when they united to drive al Qaeda elements from Anbar.
Joint operations command spokesman Yahia Rasool told Reuters the
city would be handed over to the Anbar police and local tribes after
it was fully cleared and secured.
By contrast to 2005, the Sunni tribes are now dealing with a
government less given to sectarian Shia loyalties.
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AIMING FOR MOSUL
The ultimate aim is to clear Islamic State from Mosul, Iraq's second
largest city, and Falluja, which lies between Ramadi and Baghdad, as
well as large areas of Syria - the core of what it has declared to
be a caliphate.
The control of major population centers in Iraq and Syria allows it
to maintain a revenue base, controlling oil resources and large,
fertile agricultural areas, and possibly plan attacks outside its
core territory.
Citing military statements, state TV said government forces had
killed hundreds of militants since Tuesday. It gave no casualty toll
for government forces.The offensive started on Tuesday at dawn, when
units crossed the Euphrates river into central districts using two
bridges - one rebuilt by army engineers, and a second floating
structure, an army spokesman said, describing fighting as
"ferocious".
There has been no major push into the center overnight, said an
officer on the ground asking not to be identified. The fighting has
been limited to skirmishes, sniper fire and exchanges of mortar
rounds, he said.State TV cited the Anbar province military commander
Major Gen. Ismail Shihab saying the army was proceeding cautiously
so as to avoid civilian casualties.
(Reporting by Maher Chmaytelli; editing by Ralph Boulton)
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