WASHINGTON –
Coalition and local forces in Iraq and Syria are making
significant progress in the fight against the Islamic State of Iraq and the
Levant, the Pentagon's press secretary told reporters today.
"The counter-ISIL coalition continues to pressure ISIL
on multiple fronts in Iraq and Syria as local forces continue to put ISIL on
its heels," Peter Cook said.
Progress in Fallujah
Iraqi security forces, led by the Iraqi Counterterrorism
Service, are advancing in Fallujah at a rate of about 5 to 10 percent of the
city per day, he said.
The forces have cleared about a third of the city, and are
careful to safeguard the lives of civilians and limit property damage to the
extent possible, Cook said.
The coalition continues to provide daily air support in the
fight for the city, Cook said. There have been 85 strikes over the last four
weeks, including four over the last 24 hours, he added.
Progress Elsewhere in Iraq, 'Significant' Air Support
In northern Iraq, Iraqi forces are making progress as they
push toward Qayyarah from multiple axes, Cook said. Iraqi forces moving north
from Beiji advanced another six kilometers today, overcoming ISIL defenses
along the way, he said.
"Meanwhile, Iraqi forces moving from the east also
continue their push,” the press secretary said. “We are, again, providing
significant coalition air support for these efforts as well."
'Tightening the Noose' in Syria
"In Syria, the Arab-led forces fighting to take back
Manbij City are tightening the noose around this critical crossroad between
Raqqa and the Turkish border," Cook said. Those forces have faced ISIL
resistance inside the city and along the southern edge, he said, adding
"they expect ISIL to hunker down for a tough fight in the city
itself."
The Syrian Democratic Forces are clearing territory, which
is an important development, Cook said. The SDF is gaining new insight into
ISIL's operations in the area, including the flow of foreign fighters, he said.
"We believe that this will be helpful as we work to
stem the foreign fighter flow and the risk that ISIL poses outside of Syria and
Iraq," he said.