Iraqi Forces Beef Up Effort to Recapture Fallujah from ISIS

An Iraqi soldier takes position near al-Sejar village, northeast of Fallujah, on May 26, 2016.

The operation to retake Fallujah from ISIS militants was officially announced late night on May 22, 2016.

Iraqi soldiers advance near al-Sejar village, northeast of Fallujah, on May 26.

Fallujah, about 30 miles west of Baghdad, has been out of government control since January 2014 and is one of the only two remaining major Iraqi cities still controlled by ISIS, the other being Mosul.

Iraqi soldiers gesture as they advance towards Fallujah near al-Sejar on May 26.

Iraqi soldiers walk in dust as they move forwards on May 26 near al-Sejar.

A pro-government forces fighter lies on the ground and takes a rest after battling ISIS militants on May 26 near al-Sejar.

Iraqi families flee the war near al-Sejar village, in Iraq's Anbar province, after leaving Fallujah, on May 27, 2016.

Tens of thousands of civilians remain trapped in Fallujah and hidden bombs are believed to be strewn throughout the city.

Pro-government forces fire a rocket in their battle against ISIS near al-Sejar on May 27.

Iraqi soldiers and pro-government forces drive their vehicles in an area between al-Sejar and Fallujah on May 28, 2016.

Iraqi pro-government forces evacuate a wounded comrade near al-Sejar on May 28.

Displaced Iraqi women and children swarm a Red Crescent ambulance handing out medicine at a newly-opened camp in the government-held town of Amriyat al-Fallujah, about 20 miles southeast of Fallujah, on May 29, 2016.

It’s believed that more than 50,000 civilians are still inside Fallujah.

A displaced Iraqi girl sleeps on May 29 inside a tent at a newly-opened camp in Amriyat al-Fallujah.

Smoke rises in the background as Iraqi forces take combat positions outside Fallujah on May 28.

The Iraqi troops are slowly moving up from the southern edge in a column of armored vehicles to retake Fallujah on May 30, 2016.

Iraqi troops advance in armored vehicles on May 30.

Abu Shiab, center right, sits with his family in a tent on May 31, 2016 at the Alexanzan camp in the Dora neighborhood on the southern outskirts of Baghdad, after being displaced from the Jbeil, a village near Fallujah.