ISIL supply lines into Ramadi cut

Reuters:

Iraqi forces have cut Islamic State's last supply line into the western city of Ramadi by seizing a key bridge, Iraqi officials and a military officer said on Thursday.

The capture of Palestine Bridge, straddling the Euphrates river in northwestern Ramadi, means Iraqi forces have the city surrounded. They will now move to clear the city of the Sunni militants one neighborhood at a time.

"The bridge is now entirely under our control," said Sabah al-Numani, spokesman for the Iraqi counter-terrorism forces, which are deployed on the western side of the bridge along with federal police.

"We are tightening our grip on them (Islamic State).”

Ramadi, the capital of Anbar province, fell to Islamic State in May, dealing the biggest blow in nearly a year to government forces and dampening hopes of routing the militants from the country's north and west.
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Increased US air support led to the taking of the bridge as well as combat engineers who removed booby traps and explosive charges.  Those engineers will likely be busy clearing booby traps within the city before it can be retaken.

The Kurds recently cut ISIL supply lines into Mosul also.  Iraqi forces are yet to move on that city beyond the cutting of supply lines.  This suggest their strategy may be a weakening of ISIL defensives through a siege before forces try to recapture either city.