After retaking the government complex in Fallujah and flying the Iraqi flag over the city's municipal building, Iraqi forces have opened a new front against the "Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant" (ISIL) in northern Salaheddine.

Iraqi Defence Minister Khaled al-Obeidi visited Salaheddine on June 18th with a number of senior commanders to launch military operations to liberate areas in the northern part of the province up to al-Qayyara in Ninawa, the ministry said.

Al-Obeidi said he was confident victory would be achieved in the same way it was in Fallujah, which has been returned to the fold of the country.

The launch, a day after the victories in Fallujah, is a clear indication of the army's improved performance, maneuvering and deployment capabilities, said Salaheddine provincial council security committee chairman Jassim al-Jabara.

A two-pronged advance to the north

Iraqi forces from the anti-terrorism agency, 9th Armoured Division, tribal mobilisation and the Salaheddine and Ninawa operations commands have embarked on a two-pronged advance towards northern Salaheddine, he said.

The first group is heading for the western part of al-Qayyara in Ninawa, with the goal of reaching al-Qayyara base, while a second group is moving along the Tigris and will cross over and meet the first in al-Qayyara, he told Mawtani.

"The rapid movement of the Iraqi forces, hard on the heels of the ongoing Fallujah battles, has thrown ISIL off balance," al-Jabara said.

In the first day of the advance alone, ISIL lost three villages -- Musa al-Hamad, al-Dabas and al-Hajj Ali al-Dabas, he noted.

"The military plan in the battle to liberate northern Salaheddine cities will be different than previous plans, as forces will use outflanking and manoeuvering methods," said Ministry of Defence media adviser Lt. Gen. Mohammed al-Askari.

ISIL was expecting a direct attack on cities and urban combat in al-Shirqat before defending al-Qayyara, he told Mawtani, but the Iraqi forces will choose to go past these cities and outflank, surround and break them militarily.

Ready to handle internal displacement

Salaheddine is expected to witness big waves of displacement after the start of the liberation battles in the north, said provincial council member Ali Fadel al-Dujaili.

However, the province has experience handling displaced people due to the battles that have been waged there for more than two years, he said.

"All civilian institutions in the province now have expertise," he told Mawtani, "which makes us confident we can handle any expected displacement wave during the fighting in northern Salaheddine."

The province has prepared mobile homes and encampments to receive and house displaced people who flee from battle zones in the north, he said.

The Salaheddine provincial council also has supplied displacement centres with all necessary food, medicines and sterile drinking water supplies, he said, in addition to other necessities such as fuel and power generators.