The key Iraqi city of Ramadi could fall within hours to ISIS militants who have been gaining ground in recent days, a local official said Wednesday.
Fierce fighting has engulfed Ramadi, which lies only about 70 miles (110 kilometers) west of Baghdad and is the capital of Anbar province, Iraq’s Sunni heartland.
Deputy Head of the Anbar Provincial Council Falih Essawi told CNN from inside the city that it’s unclear how much longer government troops can hold the front lines against the ISIS offensive.
Intensifying previous warnings about the critical situation in Ramadi, he begged the Iraqi government for reinforcements and the U.S.-led coalition for air support.
His plea for help comes the day after Iraqi Prime Minister Haider Al-Abadi met with U.S. President Barack Obama in Washington to seek more support for the fight against ISIS.
The extremist group’s offensive in Ramadi shows its resilience despite months of U.S.-led airstrikes and the recent defeat to Iraqi forces in the northern city of Tikrit.
ISIS squeezing Ramadi
ISIS fighters have Ramadi under pressure from several angles.
Essawi said ISIS militants made significant advances Wednesday in three areas east of Ramadi: Albu Soda, Albu Ghanem and parts of Soufia, which leads to central Ramadi.
Over the weekend, the militants seized control of areas north of Ramadi. Routes south of the city were taken some months ago.
That leaves only areas to the west of Ramadi in the hands of government forces, but those positions are under threat, Essawi warned.
The recent fighting has driven a steady stream of refugees out of the city. On Wednesday, some residents packed what they could into metal carts as they prepared to flee on foot.
Ramadi has seen intense and persistent fighting for months. ISIS took over parts of the city in the first half of last year, placing it at the heart of a deadly tug of war ever since.
The U.S. military has carried out multiple airstrikes against ISIS targets near in recent weeks.
