But the fight will be tough. And complicated. There are still tens of thousands of Sunni civilians trapped in the city, and the assault will be conducted by the mostly Shiite army, police, counterterrorism forces, along with local tribal fighters and a coalition of mostly Shiite militias, some with some pretty series Iranian backing.
In a violent escalation of Iraq’s political crisis on Friday, protesters breached Baghdad’s Green Zone, the secure hub of government, storming the prime minister’s office as security forces fired tear gas at demonstrators and live ammunition in the air. – New York Times
Iraqi forces clashed with Islamic State militants near Falluja on Monday while bombing central districts in the initial hours of an offensive to retake the militant stronghold just west of Baghdad that could take several weeks. - Reuters
Iraq's border crossing with Jordan is expected to open in about two weeks, after an almost year-long closure, allowing for a resumption of vital trade and a return of Iraqi refugees, an Iraqi diplomat said Saturday. – Associated Press
David Ignatius writes: Votel and MacFarland are trying to accelerate a campaign that had seemed, at times, to be foundering. They’re more open to the media, as illustrated by our trip here, and they’re working harder to coalesce the elements of the U.S.-led coalition. Their goal is to stress the Islamic State on many fronts at once — preparing assaults on Mosul, Fallujah and other strongholds. The multi-pronged strategy, said Votel, reflects “the virtues of simultaneity.” – Washington Post