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Battle of Ar-Rutbah (2016)

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Ar-Rutbah offensive (2016)
Part of the War in Iraq and the Anbar campaign (2015–16)

Ar-Rutbah in 2009.
Date16–18 May 2016
(2 days)
Location
Ar-Rutba District, Anbar Governorate, Iraq
Result

Iraqi government victory[1]

  • Iraqi Army recapture Ar-Rutbah District/Town
Belligerents

Iraq Iraq

Air support
CJTF-OIR		 Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant
Commanders and leaders
Iraq Haider al-Abadi Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi (Leader)
Strength
1,000+ fighters[1] 100–400 militants[2]
Casualties and losses
4 killed,
5 wounded[3]		 100+ killed[4]

The Battle of Ar-Rutbah was a military offensive in Iraq launched by the Iraqi Army to recapture the strategic town of Ar-Rutbah from ISIL, along with the rest of the Ar-Rutba District.

Background

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See also: Fall of Mosul, Anbar campaign (2015–16), Battle of Ramadi (2015–16), and Hīt offensive (2016)

On March 13, a senior Iraqi general reported that ISIL had fully withdrawn from the city of Ar-Rutbah to Al-Qa'im, beginning the night before. This withdrawal was confirmed by a member of Anbar's security council, and it was also reported that ISIL had abandoned the town of Kabisa and withdrawn from Hīt to some extent, leading to Iraqi warplanes bombing the retreating militants. This was the first time ISIL withdrew from a major urban area without an actual fight, following recent battlefield losses for ISIL in Syria and in the Anbar Province, including a recent offensive on Hīt.[5][6][7] However, ISIL returned to the town on the following day.[8]

The offensive

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On May 16, following the killing of local ISIL commander Abu Waheeb, the Iraqi Army launched an offensive to reclaim Ar-Rutbah and the rest of the Ar-Rutba District.[2] The Iraqi Army attacked the town from three directions.[9] A US official stated that Ar-Rutbah wasn't as well defended by ISIL as Ramadi or Fallujah, with estimates of 100 to several hundred ISIL militants based in the town.[2] On May 17, the commander of Anbar Operations, Major General Hadi Rseg announced that Iraqi Army fully recaptured Ar-Rutbah, and its surrounding areas in the Ar-Rutbah District.[10] During the clashes, at least 4 Iraqi soldiers were killed and 5 more were wounded,[3] while around 100 ISIL fighters were killed.[4] The town holds strategic value as it lies on key transit routes between Iraq and Jordan,[11] and its recapture denied ISIL a "critical support zone."[12]

See also

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References

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  1. ^ a b Adnan, Ghassan; Fitch, Asa (May 19, 2016). "Iraqi Forces Recapture Strategic Town From Islamic State" – via Wall Street Journal.
  2. ^ a b c "Iraq launches operation to retake Anbar town". The National. May 16, 2016. Retrieved May 19, 2016.
  3. ^ a b Mamoun, Abdelhak. "9 security members killed, wounded in battles of Rutba District". Iraqi News. Retrieved May 19, 2016.
  4. ^ a b "Baghdad Takes Rutba From Islamic State; Jordan-Iraq Commercial Route to Reopen (Video): Juan Cole". truthdig.com. May 19, 2016.
  5. ^ "ISIS pulls out of town in Iraq's Anbar: general". The Daily Star Newspaper - Lebanon. Retrieved March 24, 2016.
  6. ^ "IS jihadists pull out of several Iraq towns: officers". Yahoo News. March 13, 2016. Retrieved March 24, 2016.
  7. ^ "Anbar officials see voluntary ISIS withdrawal from some towns". Rudaw. Retrieved March 24, 2016.
  8. ^ "ISIS returns to Iraqi town, 24 hours after vacating it". Deccan Chronicle. March 14, 2016.
  9. ^ Mamoun, Abdelhak. "Security forces start liberation operation of Rutba District from 3 axes Ar-Rutbah Offensive (2016)". Iraqi News. Retrieved May 19, 2016.
  10. ^ Amre Sarhan (May 18, 2016). "Security forces fully liberate al-Rutba District, announces Anbar Operations". Iraqi News. Retrieved May 18, 2016.
  11. ^ "IS conflict: Iraq forces retake remote western town of Rutba". BBC News. Retrieved July 13, 2025.
  12. ^ Morris, Loveday; Salim, Mustafa. "Iraqi forces retake Rutbah from ISIS and eye Fallujah for next battle". Washington Post. Retrieved May 22, 2016.

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