Iran's top military official congratulated the Muslim Ummah on the full liberation of the Iraqi city of Ramadi from the self-styled Islamic State terrorist group.
"The great victory of the Iraqi military and popular forces, including Shia and Sunni Muslims … heralds more successes in future," Chairman of the Armed Forces' General Staff Major General Hassan Firouzabadi said on Monday, Press TV reported.
In a televised statement on Monday, Iraqi military spokesman, Brigadier General Yahya Rasool, declared that the city of Ramadi, the capital of the western province of Anbar, has been "fully liberated" from IS.
"Ramadi has been liberated and the armed forces of the counter-terrorism service have raised the Iraqi flag above the government complex," he said.
Ramadi fell into the hands of IS in May, months after the terrorist group overran territories in northern Iraq. The Iraqi forces have managed to liberate key towns and villages from the grips of the militant group, including Tikrit and Baiji in Salahuddin Province.
Seizing the control of Ramadi prepares the ground for the long-anticipated offensive to retake Mosul, the largest city IS controls in the Arab country.
Firouzabadi said the resistance of foreign-backed IS commanders in the western city of Fallujah in Anbar will lead to no result.
The Iranian commander added that all Iraqis should unite in Fallujah to support the armed forces and volunteer fighters in the ongoing anti-terror operations in the city.
The operation is part of an all-out campaign launched by the Iraqi Army on Tuesday to cleanse Anbar of IS terrorists.
