Iraqi forces on Monday declared a key victory in their battle to retake the city of Ramadi from ISIS militants who have occupied the city since May, seizing a strategic government compound in what the U.S. called a "proud moment," NBC News reported.
Brig. Gen. Yahya Rasool told state television that the Iraqi flag was flying over the complex, saying that the city had been "liberated" following a weeks-long fight against the militants.
However, other officials urged caution and stressed that the battle for Ramadi was not yet over, and that several heavily-mined neighborhoods remained under ISIS control.
U.S. military spokesman in Baghdad, Col. Steve Warren, congratulated the Iraqi forces in a statement early Monday, calling the clearance of the government center "a significant accomplishment."
"Today's success is a proud moment for Iraq," Warren's statement said.
