Now Ramadi News Today : Breaking News, Live Updates & Top Stories | Vimarsana

Participating in terror activities. recovering military style uniforms and propaganda. iraq's military claims it liberated ramadi. a series of ground missions by iraqi forces backed by u.s. air strikes have driven the terrorists out of the key government complex in the heart of the area. let's bring in cnn's nima elbargi. now they are saying they have ski secured the government center in the middle of the city. does that mean this battle is over, nima? >> reporter: we want to show you the agency forces heading to the district. these are, of course, u.s. trained troops.

Are in pursuit of the minister of finance. they feel he is on the run. that gives you a sense of how strategic isis is to the iraqis, but how strategic it was to isis to have a high-ranking official. it paints a broader picture of the growing sense of fear beginning to evaporate there among the civilian population who feel comfortable to come forward with the eyewitness reports. unimaginable a week ago they would speak openly to authorities about anything to do with isis. now we're hearing families from other parts of anbar province moving to the district to ramadi. they are taking shelter fro...

Uniforms and isis propaganda materials. now ramadi is back under tenuous iraqi control, an official says it will take two to three weeks to cleanse the city of remaining pockets of isis fighters. cnn's nima elbagir is tracking the latest for us. nima, with the first major victory, iraq's prime minister is vowing to defeat isis in 2016. lots of confidence here. >> reporter: yes, extraordinarily optimistic. especially given the more cautious optimism from u.s. officials who are not quite ready to call it fully liberated. they congratulate the iraqis on the continued successes in ramadi. there ...

To give you a sense there is just as much at stake for the u.s. congratulating iraq on the continuing successes in ramadi. not yet quite there in terms of being ready to call it fully liberated. iraqi officials tell us as far as they're concerned, the built operation is now over. this is about securing the town and purging the remaining pockets of isis stronghold. this is reflective of the turnabout after the fall of ramadi in may. this is also hugely strategic. this is the first time if and when it is finally deemed to be fully cleared that iraqi armed forces and iraqi troops have taken a maj...

If the islamic states controlling ramadi, and they have since may, they control the border here and they control the border here, now that's important, it's important because they can get fighters from raqqa. they can also toll and tax any industry, any goods that are coming across the border. so this is why ramadi is so strategically important. it's also got a number of sunni tribes, over 40, part of the anbar awakening counsel. they're absolutely key. and to influence those and to give those sunni tribes the stability will enable to the iraqi security forces to be able to drive the islamic s...