Iraqi forces lost most of the city of Ramadi to Islamic State militants on Friday.
The Islamic State captured the main government center in Ramadi, Iraq on Friday. After hours of fighting over night, the militants waved their flag over the government building on Friday afternoon.
Ramadi is the capital of Iraq's largest province, Anbar, a significant loss for the Iraqi government. ISIS militants attacked the central government compound on Thursday night, using at least six suicide car bombers to destroy key defensive posts. Police officers, pro-government tribal fighters, and security forces fought against the militants, but fled after hours of fighting.
A police officer told the Miami Herald that the IS used armored bulldozers to clear away blockades so the car bombs could drive past. The militants reportedly used Humvees that were stolen from Iraqi security forces in the past to the fight against the security forces on Friday.
IS militants, after capturing most of the city, did not allow residents to leave. Thousands of civilians had already fled from the region before the fighting began. Militants went through homes and collected cellular phones of those who were left in the city. The Islamic State executed many pro-government supporters and leaders after overtaking the city, say government officials.
Those who escaped during the attack tried to make their way to a stadium near the edge of the city where they could be evacuated by government aircraft. However, fear of disguised militants among the civilians caused soldiers to keep some citizens away from the stadium.
Iraqi military officials urgently requested the Iraqi capital of Baghdad for airstrikes and military assistance in the city of Ramadi.
"The city is undergoing vicious attack by Daash and we are in dire need of any kind of assistance," said Sabah Karhout, leader of the Anbar provincial council, using the Arabic acronym for the terrorist group.
IS militants have attacked the government compound since January of 2014, and have been in control of various parts of the Anbar province since last year. The loss of Ramadi is a tragedy for the Iraqi government, who had begun to retake ground from the militant group just a few weeks prior.
