ISIL "now occupies the government center in Ramadi and has also raised its flag over the police HQ for Anbar," a police official told AFP on Friday, speaking on condition of anonymity.
Militants are reported to have used an armored bulldozer to blast walls leading up to the police department, detonating vehicles outside government buildings and Anbar Operations Command, reporting to Iraqi Ground Forces Command, the most important fighting formation of the Iraqi Army.
Photos from #Ramadi, #ISIL advancing. pic.twitter.com/jRjwGx2lZU
— Barzan Sadiq (@SeniorB) 15 мая 2015
Now near the governmental compound in the center of #Ramadi, black smoke everywhere. pic.twitter.com/uCKKHsVie3
— Barzan Sadiq (@SeniorB) 15 мая 2015
Ramadi, a city in central Iraq about 110 km West of Baghdad which serves as the capital of the western Al-Anbar Governate, has been contested between ISIL and the Iraqi military since last year.
The Iraqi government has stressed that a major counter-offensive will follow on from ISIL's Thursday attack. Fighting is reported to be continuing between militants and government forces in the city's west.
