Iraqi Forces Close in on ISIS in Fallujah

Iraqi forces are coming closer to retaking Fallujah from the Islamic State.

ISIS jihadists and Iraqi troops have battled over the strategic city for two weeks. Iraqi commanders say in-fighting between Iraqi forces over how to combat the jihadist army has reportedly slowed the efforts to recapture the city.

But despite strong resistance, counter-terrorism forces are slowly seizing more territory.

Fallujah, one of the last Islamic State strongholds, has been under militant control for two years.

Thousands of Iraqi civilians have been caught in the middle of the fight. Many have been directly targeted while trying to escape the city, facing harassment, capture, and abuse. 

"The situation in Fallujah is truly frightening," U.N. representative Bruno Geddo told Deutsche Welle in a recent interview. 

"First of all, these people were feeling besieged inside the city. And they told us they lived in terror and in panic because the city was being bombed; there were air strikes and rocket fire. And then, if they summon the courage to flee and are caught by the militant Islamic State (IS) group they are immediately executed," he explained.

"Those who managed to get to the corridors where they could be extracted by Iraqi security forces by the time they reached the camps they were deeply, deeply traumatized. That is the psychological side of the story," he said.

U.N. representative Bruno Geddo called the situation affecting Fallujah civilians a "humanitarian tragedy."

"Another humanitarian tragedy is unfolding in Fallujah, and the worst is yet to come," he warned.