Bayji, Ramadi to remain contested for some time -- CENTCOM

WASHINGTON, May 2 (KUNA) -- While ISIL is experiencing regressions in Iraq and Syria, the town of Bayji and Ramadi remain contested between the group and Iraqi Security Forces (ISF), US Central Command (CENTCOM) spokesperson Patrick Ryder said.
"ISIL has shown that Bayji and Ramadi are strategically important to them, and they are committing a significant amount of limited resources to secure these locations," Ryder said to reporters.
Bayji is the location of an oil refinery that ISIL remains to contest ISF over. In Ramadi, ISIL still has territory in the eastern part of the city. The spokesperson therefore expects that these cities will "remain contested for some time." In central Iraq, ISF continueS to conduct operations to secure Karmah and have taken territory around the Tigris river canal, he noted.
In Northern Iraq, Kurdish forces have cleared more territory called ISIL attack attacks against them, "harassing attacks." In Syria, Kurdish forces are also making gains. Ryder said, "As the Kurds take territory from ISIL, they're having an effect on the group's lines of communication into northern Iraq." CENTCOM believes that the fight is "by no means over" but ISIL will one day be defeated. (end) ak.rk