Thousands flee Iraqi city of Ramadi due to heavy conflict

Over 2,000 families have been forced to flee the Iraqi city of Ramadi owing to heavy clashes between the Islamic State (IS) militants and government forces.
Most of the displaced families headed to capital Baghdad and settled in predominantly Sunni districts in southern and western Baghdad, a security source said.
While clashes continued in Ramadi, the capital of Iraq’s western province of Anbar, a major offensive was on to recapture areas north of Tikrit in the Salahudin province from the IS, security sources said.
The security situation in Ramadi, 110 km west of Iraq’s capital Baghdad, has deteriorated since Friday when IS militants carried out attacks and captured the Albu Farraj area in the northern side of Euphrates river, which separates the area from Ramadi.
The militants spread out in Ramadi on Wednesday and captured Soufiyah, Albu Ghanim, Albu Mahal and Albu Souda areas east of the city, which has been partially under the control of the IS for months.
The IS has seized parts of Iraq’s largest province of Anbar and tried to advance towards Baghdad, but several counter attacks by security forces and Shia militias have driven them away.