More than 450 militants of the Islamic State trying to flee Fallujah were arrested as the Iraqi army neared the city from different fronts, the Iraq defense ministry reported Sunday.
The arrests came as the army has secured the first "relatively safe" exit route for civilians trying to to flee the militant group, also identified as Daesh, ISIS and ISIL.
"The Iraqi security forces have the names and numbers of ISIS militants and they managed to arrest those who have tried to escape Fallujah with the refugees," said Nassir Noori, a spokesperson for the ministry of defense, adding he expects more arrests.
But the arrests come after Anbar governor Suhaib al-Rawi accused members of the Shiite militia of arresting and imprisoning escaping prisoners.
"We don't still know the fate of many people," al-Rawi told Rudaw.
"Civilians have nothing to do with Isis and in fact they are waiting to be rid of these criminal gangsters," he said.
Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi recently announced efforts to liberate Fallujah were slowed out of concern of safety for the civilians.
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