„The delay in operations to liberate Ramadi and Fallujah cities in al-Anbar province is the result of the US interference,“ Commander of Imam Khamenei Battalion Haidar al-Hosseini al-Ardavi told FNA on Thursday.

„It seems that the US intends to evacuate the ISIL terrorist group‘s infamous ringleaders secretly (with helicopters) from Ramadi to unknown places,“ he added.

His remarks came as Iraqi security forces continue to gain ground in Ramadi, and opened their way to the central parts of the strategic city where hundreds of ISIL terrorists are trapped under siege.