The Battle of Ramadi was a battle launched by the forces of Iraq to successfully recapture the city of Ramadi from the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL), which had taken the city earlier in 2015 in a previous battle. Air power was a major component of the battle, with the United States and other nations conducting over 850 airstrikes in the Ramadi area from July 2015 to late February 2016, and the US crediting airstrikes with 80% of the reason why the city was recaptured. By February 2016, Iraqi forces successfully recaptured the city after two and a half months of fighting. It was predicted that it would take several months to clear the city of the bombs ISIL left behind, with at least 9 months needed to clear the city's Tamim District. At the time, Ramadi had suffered more damage than any other city or town in Iraq with some estimates as high as 90% of the city being destroyed during the fighting.
Background
ISIL capture of Ramadi
On May 17, 2015, ISIL militants captured the city of Ramadi, after launching multiple waves of suicide attacks during a sandstorm, which caused Iraqi forces to retreat from the city.
Anbar offensive
On the dawn of July 13, the Iraqi Army, backed by the Shiite and Sunni pro-government militias, launched an offensive to recapture Anbar province. The Iraqi forces also reportedly pushed towards Ramadi from the west and the south. By afternoon, the Iraqi Army retook the Ramadi Olympic stadium in western Ramadi and reached the eastern part of the city. According to Iraqi officials, pro-government fighters also pushed the extremists from the areas east of Ramadi. On August 11, a senior official with the US-led coalition said that Iraqi forces had surrounded the city and were preparing for a final assault to retake it. On August 26, ISIL suicide bombers killed two Iraqi army generals and three soldiers north of Fallujah. Maj. Gen. Abdul-Rahman Abu-Regheef, deputy chief of operations in Anbar, and Brig. Gen. Safeen Abdul-Majid, commander of the 10th Army Division were both killed.
By late September, the operation to retake Ramadi was considered to have stalled, with Iraqi Security Forces positioned on the outskirts of Ramadi, but unable to mount an incursion into the city proper. Political squabbles between Iranian backed militias and the Abadi administration were also hampering potential offensives. On September 25, the United States urged the Iraqi Army to hasten the operation, acknowledging that "...the Iraqis have not made any significant forward movement recently."
In early October, Iraqi forces renewed their operations in Ramadi, capturing several areas to the north and west, including the main road west of Ramadi. By October 13, Iraqi troops had advanced 15 kilometers and encircled the city, according to US officials.
In mid-November, Iraqi forces recaptured the emergency directorate headquarters in Ramadi.
The battle
Completing the siege
On November 25, 2015, the Iraqi Army launched the offensive to retake Ramadi, cutting ISIL's last supply line into the city of Ramadi, via the Euphrates River, by seizing the strategic Palestine Bridge. The operation at Palestine Bridge and other areas in northwestern Ramadi were supported by 7 Coalition airstrikes.
On November 29, the Iraqi Army began dropping leaflets into Ramadi, warning of an imminent offensive and warning civilians to flee. However, only a few families managed to flee, since ISIL had closed off the corridor in southeastern Ramadi designated by the Iraqi Government, and ISIL also locked down the city, threatening to kill anyone who tried to escape.
Battle for the city center
On December 4, Iraqi forces began advancing towards Ramadi's southwestern Tamim District, from the Anbar University and Tash District areas. On December 8, Iraqi forces pushed into Ramadi city for the first time since the beginning of the offensive, capturing Tamim, a key district in the southwestern area of Ramadi, separated from the rest of Ramadi city by the al-Waar River, a tributary of the Euphrates. The Iraqi Army also recaptured the Anbar Operation Control Center, near the Palestine Bridge. The battle was claimed to be a resounding success, with Iraqi Counter-Terrorism Service spokesman Sabah al-Numani telling the AFP news agency that after troops launched their assault on Tamim, ISIL militants "had no choice except to surrender or fight" and that they were "completely destroyed". After the advances, the Iraqi Government claimed that it had recaptured 60% of the Ramadi area from ISIL, although most of the city proper still remained under ISIL control. During the operation to capture the Tamim District, 350 ISIL militants were killed by US-led Coalition airstrikes. On December 10, ISIL forces blew up the Warrar Dam, which linked the Anbar Operations Control Center to northwestern Ramadi city, leaving the Qassim Bridge as the last working bridge in Ramadi, which runs from al-Tamim into the southern al-Humaira District.
On December 15, two RAF Typhoon FGR4s supported the Iraqi army in its operations around Ramadi, and struck an ISIL encampment with two Paveway IVs. The next day, RAF Tornados assisted the Iraqi troops battling ISIL on the outskirts of Ramadi, and used Paveway IVs to destroy heavy machine-gun positions, a sniper team and a group of fighters.
On 18 December 2015, the 55th Brigade of the Iraqi Armed Forces called in a U.S airstrike to cover their advance because their army helicopters would not fly due to bad weather. The airstrike misfired by a few kilometers and hit the Iraqi army, killing 9 soldiers including one officer and army commander.
Later on December 20, a second pair of GR4s flew a reconnaissance mission over Ramadi, where they provided surveillance assistance to an attack by other Coalition aircraft. On December 20, Iraqi planes also dropped leafets into Ramadi again, warning civilians to leave the city within 72 hours.
On December 22, Iraqi forces advanced into the center of the city of Ramadi, and headed towards the main government complex. The 3-pronged attack was launched from al-Tamim and al-Humaira Districts in the southwest and south, northwards into the central al-Hoz District, and the Andalus and al-Malab Districts further east. Iraqi forces had constructed a temporary bridge over the al-Warrar River, allowing them to cross over into the southern Hoz District, where they reportedly surprised the ISIL forces there. Two pairs of RAF Tornados and an RAF Reaper, provided the Iraqis with continuous close air support alongside other coalition aircraft. When ISIL fighters fired rocket-propelled grenades and small arms at Iraqi soldiers tending to wounded personnel, the Tornados intervened with a very accurate Paveway strike. The Reaper, meanwhile, assisted other Coalition aircraft in an attack that destroyed an anti-aircraft gun. Fighting continued the next day, while Iraqi reinforcements, including US-trained Sunni tribal fighters were sent to secure the recaptured parts of Ramadi, in order to allow the first wave of troops to continue pushing toward the government complex in the city centre. On December 23, 2 flights of RAF Tornado GR4s were contributing to the coalition air effort which supported the Iraqi army's offensive into the centre of Ramadi, the Tornados targets included three terrorist teams armed with rocket propelled grenades, a sniper position, an ISIL group in close combat with Iraqi troops, and a large group of at least 17 terrorists, who suffered a direct hit in 6 attacks, again with Paveway IVs. By December 25, Iraqi and allied tribal forces had managed to enter the al-Haouz District, and also were about 500 meters away from the main government complex. RAF Tornados maintained close air support over Ramadi, once again working closely with other coalition aircraft, they used Paveway IVs against 2 terrorist teams, an anti-aircraft gun, and a massed ISIL group who were assembling for an attempted counterattack on the successful Iraqi advance. On December 26, Iraqi forces captured the Ramadi Barrage, in northwestern Ramadi city, and evacuated 120 civilian families from the city.
On December 27, the Iraqi Army captured the government complex, after which they declared victory in Ramadi, and claimed to be in full control of the city center. ISIL militants were reported to have fled northeast. However, fighting was still reported southwest of the government complex, as pockets of ISIL resistance remained. On December 28, Iraqi forces completely recaptured the city center of Ramadi, after the remaining ISIL forces withdrew from the government complex and the surrounding areas in the Hoz District. However, on the same day, it was confirmed that ISIL was still in control of 30 percent of the city. On December 29, RAF Typhoons and Tornado GR4s operated over Ramadi, as the Iraqi forces closed in on remaining pockets of ISIL militants. The Typhoons bombed two machine gun positions, while the Tornadoes conducted three attacks on a further two machine gun nests and a strongpoint. Despite bad weather meaning that these attacks had to be carried out through thick cloud and with Iraqi soldiers in close proximity to the targets, careful planning by the aircrew and the precision guidance systems of the Paveway IV bombs allowed all the attacks to be successful without risk to friendly forces. During the week of the final offensive on central Ramadi, an estimated 400 ISIL fighters were killed.
Clearing the city
On December 30, 2015, the Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi visited Ramadi and raised the Iraqi flag at the government complex. During his visit, ISIL forces in a part of the city still under their control fired three mortar rounds at his position; they landed 500 meters away, but the incident forced al-Abadi to leave the area. ISIL casualties during the battle were reportedly high, while Iraqi Army casualties were relatively moderate . Two RAF Tornado GR4s provided close air support over Ramadi, where they bombed machine gun positions engaged in close combat with Iraqi troops, and assisted another coalition aircraft in a strike on an ISIL team armed with rocket propelled grenades. On December 31, ISIL executed 40 civilians who tried to flee the city to areas controlled by the Iraqi Army.
On January 3, 2016, ISIL attacked and briefly seized an Iraqi Army base of the 10th Division in Al Tarah, using suicide car bombers and fighters wearing explosive belts. However, the base was retaken by the Iraqi army with the help of coalition airstrikes on the same day. Three Iraqi soldiers were killed and 17 wounded in the attack. Around the same time, the US estimated that there were still 700 ISIL militants holed up in pockets of central and eastern Ramadi, indicating that there were at least 700 more ISIL militants in the city than had been initially estimated; the figure was confirmed by Iraqi officials. RAF Typhoons delivered four successful attacks in Ramadi against terrorist positions, including a mortar team. A second Typhoon mission over Ramadi conducted no less than six attacks, accounting for five machine-guns and a sniper position.
On January 3, 2016, the Iraqi Government declared that it had recaptured 80% of Ramadi city, and that the only pockets of ISIL resistance in the city proper remaining were located in the al-Malab and 20th Street areas. On January 4, 2016, a British official stated that the number of ISIL militants remaining in Ramadi had been reduced to around 400 fighters. RAF Tornado GR4s provided close air support to the Iraqi army as they continued their operations to eliminate the remaining terrorist fighters in and around Ramadi. When an Iraqi unit came under rocket-propelled grenade and mortar fire from several ISIL-held buildings, the GR4s conducted accurate strikes on all four buildings using Paveway IVs. The Tornadoes were tasked to deal with a group of terrorists who were preparing for a counter-attack. Despite this being a difficult target for most weapons, the GR4s were able to score a direct hit with a Brimstone missile. An RAF Reaper was also patrolling over Ramadi; it provided surveillance support for three air strikes by coalition fast jets, and also conducted two attacks using its own weapons, employing a GBU-12 laser guided bomb against an ISIL machine-gun team, and destroyed two terrorist trucks with a single Hellfire missile.