Iraqi residents from Ramadi wait to cross Bzeibez bridge, on the southwestern frontier of Baghdad.

AFP/Baghdad

Iraqi forces retook territory from the Islamic State group east of Ramadi on Saturday, in their first counterattack since the fall of the Anbar provincial capital a week ago, commanders said.

The offensive targeted the Euphrates Valley town of Husaybah, an essential stepping stone for any assault on Ramadi.

"Military operations to liberate Husaybah, seven kilometres east of Ramadi, have begun," a police colonel told AFP from the front.

"So far, the Husaybah police station was liberated, as well as the area around it. The operation is making significant progress," he said on condition of anonymity.

The launch of offensive operations was confirmed by the leader of the main tribal force in the area, Sheikh Rafia Abdelkarim al-Fahdawi.

"The operation to take back Husaybah has started, with wide participation from tribal fighters," the head of the Albu Fahd tribe said.

"The security forces are advancing and they already retook a wide area," he said.

The police colonel said the operation involved local and federal police, the interior ministry's rapid intervention force, regular army troops, Popular Mobilisation (Hashed al-Shaabi) paramilitary forces and tribal fighters.

IS fighters seized Ramadi in a deadly three day-blitz last week and tried to use its momentum to gain more ground east of the city.

Islamic State ‘raises flag over citadel in Palmyra’

Islamic State fighters have raised their flag over an ancient citadel in Syria's historic city of Palmyra, pictures posted online overnight by the group's supporters showed.

The militants seized the city, also known as Tadmur, after days of fierce fighting with the Syrian army on Wednesday.

"Tadmur citadel under the control of the Caliphate," read a caption on one picture posted on social media sites. In another, a smiling fighter is shown carrying the black flag and standing on one of the citadel's wall.

It was not possible to verify the pictures' authenticity.

Supporters have also posted videos they say show the group's fighters going room to room in government buildings in Palmyra searching for government troops and pulling down pictures of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad and his father.

Some activists have said more than 200 Syrian soldiers died in the battle for the city. 

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