Obama Denies US Losing War Against ISIL Despite Failure in Ramadi

Baku. 21 May. REPORT.AZ/ On Sunday, following days of heavy fighting against Iraqi government forces, ISIL took control of the Sunni-dominated provincial capital of Ramadi, some 70 miles west of Baghdad.

The US president attributed the fall of Ramadi to lack of Iraqi military training and command-and-control structures in Sunni areas of the country.

Hundreds of Iraqi security forces were killed and many more fled, prompting Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi to call in Shiite militias to the outskirts of Ramadi to protect the capital and Shiite cities to the south.

The United States has urged Iraq to integrate Sunni tribes and Sunni soldiers into the fight against ISIL, but al-Abadi has been hesitant to arm and train Sunnis. More than 90 percent of the Iraqi military is composed of Shiites.