Iraqi troops have pushed deeper toward the last remaining district in Ramadi held by Daesh militants, an army spokesperson told Reuters on Saturday.
This is part of an operation launched last Tuesday night aimed at expelling Daesh from the city, which the group has controlled since May. If successful, recapturing Ramadi will be one of the most important victories for Iraqi armed forces since Daesh swept across a third of the country in 2014.
Troops advanced overnight on the neighborhood of Hoz, which houses the governmental complex, the primary target of the attack since its beginning.
"The counter-terrorism forces are within 800 meters from the government complex," Brig. Yahya Rasool told Reuters.
Rasool declined to give a time frame for the final push to dislodge the militants, but military officials said on Wednesday that the operation would take several days.
The Iraqi government forces are receiving air support from a US-led coalition. After securing Ramadi, the government plans to retake the northern city of Mosul.
"The liberation of dear Mosul will be achieved with the cooperation and unity of all Iraqis after the victory in Ramadi," Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi said on Friday.
