An estimated 50,000 people remained trapped."They are locking some families down inside the hospital building," Salem al Halbusi, who lived in Fallujah, told USA Today. "They are making people freak out over the (arrival of) Iraqi forces by telling them, 'The army and militia are coming to kill you all.'"
"ISIS fighters "distributed some sweets for kids for the first time, trying to get people on their side, as they know their end is so close," al Halbusi added."
The Iraqi counterterrorism forces are leading the assault on Fallujah, slowly moving up from the southern edge. Their advance is expected to be slow also because tens of thousands of civilians remain trapped in Fallujah and hidden bombs are believed to be strewn throughout the city, according to Special Forces' commanders at the scene.
3,700 people had managed to escape the city in the past week
The Iraqi army's assault on Falluja has begun what is expected to be one of the biggest battles ever fought against Islamic State.
A week after Baghdad announced the start of the assault, its troops advanced in large numbers into the city limits for the first time on Monday, pouring into rural territory on its southern outskirts but stopping short of the main built-up area.
Baghdad describes the assault to retake the city as a potential turning point in its campaign to defeat the ISIS terrorist who rule a self-proclaimed caliphate across much of Iraq and Syria.
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