US Defence Secretary Ashton Carter today congratulated Iraq on freeing the key city of Fallujah from the Islamic State terror group.
"I congratulate Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi and the Iraqi people for their progress in freeing the city of Fallujah from the grip of IS," Carter said in a statement.
Carter said the US and its coalition partners are proud to have supported Iraqi security forces under Al-Abadi's command in this important operation.
This he described as "another milestone" in efforts to accelerate IS' defeat.
"The operation in Fallujah has been a significant challenge for the ISF and for the coalition," he said.
"It will not be the last. Hard fighting remains ahead, as does the vital task of caring for the residents of Fallujah displaced by IS' violence and beginning to rebuild the city so that its people may safely return," Carter said.
"It is also essential to complete the investigations the government of Iraq has launched to address alleged abuses of civilians. Despite the hard work still to do, the clearing of Fallujah will make the people of Iraq safer and bring us all one step closer to dealing IS a lasting defeat," Carter said.
