ISIS hangs 'Iraqi army collaborator' from bridge

The gruesome execution took place just 30 miles from Ramadi where Islamic State slaughtered over 500 to seize the city a few days ago - and have since been attacking nearby villages as they look to consolidate power in the region.

Pictures obtained by anti-ISIS activists show the terror group's latest victim, accused of collaborating with the Iraqi army, being escorted through the ISIS-controlled city of Fallujah on the back of a pick-up truck.

Another shows his limp body hanging from a bridge as Islamic State's deprave soldiers celebrate above.

The Iraqi government lost control of Fallujah to Islamic State militants back in January 2014 after days of fighting in the city - and nearby Ramadi - where hundreds were killed. 

And only days ago, the terror group slaughtered over 500 people to finally seize Ramadi where they held a sickening military parade on its blood-stained streets.

They have since been ruthlessly attacking villages to its east - as they look to establish a foothold in the strategically important Anbar Province.

Overnight, Islamic State insurgents attacked government troops in Husaiba al-Sharqiya which is halfway between Ramadi and the Habbaniya military base where Iran-backed militia soldiers have gathered, pro-government forces have said.

Over 3,000 of them have amassed in preparation to retake the battle-ravaged city where Islamic State fighters now have the tanks and heavy artillery left behind by the Iraqi forces who abandoned the city.

A Sunni tribal leader said: 'Daesh [ISIS] attacked us around midnight after a wave of mortar shelling on our positions.

Amir al-Fahdawi added: 'This time they came from another direction in an attempt to launch a surprise attack but we were vigilant and, after around four hours of fighting, we aborted their offensive.' 

Over 40,000 civilians are thought to have fled Ramadi since Islamic State took control but some remain stuck in the city, a Baghdad-based humanitarian organisation told MailOnline yesterday.

Those who fled are stuck in no man's land between battle-ravaged Ramadi and the Iraqi capital Baghdad, where they are being refused entry by the country's army who can not verify they are innocent civilians and not ISIS fighters.

The Iraqi government has since made a desperate call for volunteers to bolster its shattered army after suffering the worst defeat since the Islamic State grabbed swathes of territory in June last year.

Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi said extra recruitment was vital to efforts to recapture the key city of Ramadi which fell to ISIS on Sunday.

But the United States military will not be offering military assistance after its Department of Defence ruled out sending special forces to fight alongside Iraqi's around the city.

President Barack Obama is however considering accelerating the training and arming of Iraqi tribal forces to fight the Islamic State group after Ramadi fell.

The White House confirmed it will support the forces made up of Shi'ite militias and Sunni tribal forces in Anbar, as long as they operate under the leadership of the Iraqi government forces. 

America has sent thousands of military advisers to train Sunni tribal fighters and help reform Iraq's shambolic army, but the pace of change has failed to match Islamic State's aggressive military tactics.

(dailymail.co.uk)