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Please contact the DOD Webmaster with any questions. I know that cuts into your dinner time a little bit, but we appreciate you being flexible in your schedule. We'll turn it over to you for opening comments.
I am glad you were able to -- I know it's a three-day weekend, and I am probably the only thing between you and barbecue, so we will try to keep this snappy. And I have a few prepared remarks, so I'll get right to them. Operations to liberate Fallujah have begun. Karmah, a town located 10 miles northeast of the city is clear. ISF are moving along multiple axes, but have not yet entered the city.
We estimate there to be up to 50, citizens remaining in Fallujah and that the Iraqi government has been clear that protecting these civilians is their priority. We have dropped leaflets to inform the population to avoid ISIL areas.
Those leaflets directed those who cannot leave, to put white sheets on their roofs to mark their locations. The Iraqi Army is working hard to establish evacuation routes. And the local Anbar government has set up camps for displaced civilians. As was the case in Ramadi, Hit and Rutbah, this is a combined operation made up of thousands of forces from the Iraqi army, the federal police, Sunni tribal fighters, and CTS.
