Forces surround Fallujah in bid to retake from Islamic State

Iraq’s special forces troops have surrounded Fallujah ahead of an operation to retake the Islamic State-held city west of Baghdad.

The Iraqi government teamed up with paramilitary troops to launch a large-scale offensive, backed by aerial support from the US-led coalition, to dislodge militants from IS, also known as Daesh, from Fallujah last week.

The city, about 65km west of Baghdad, is one of the last major IS strongholds in Iraq. The extremist group still controls territory in the country’s north and west, including Mosul, Iraq’s second largest city.