ISIS advances on Baghdad, faces little resistance

The Islamic State continued its push toward Baghdad and on other fronts. Saturday, the group took the Iraq-Syrian town of Qusaybah on the Euphrates, rounding off its control of the border and the river and gaining an easy and rapid route for transferring troops between the two countries. The Islamists closed the distance to the big Iraqi base of Habbaniyah, taking Khalidiya on the way.

The Islamists closed the distance to the big Iraqi base of Habbaniyah, taking Khalidiya on the way.DEBKAfile: Claims in Baghdad that Iraqi forces are preparing to recapture Ramadi have no substance in fact. The only place the ISIS is facing resistance is at the eastern exit of Khalidiya, where pro-Iranian Shiite militias are attempting to bar their progress towards Habbaniyah whic would bring them to within 12 km from Baghdad.