In this Monday, April 1, 2016 photo, smoke rises as people flee their homes during clashes between Iraqi security forces and Islamic State group in Hit, 85 miles (140 kilometers) west of Baghdad. As Iraq’s elite counterterrorism forces entered the center of a strategically important western Islamic State-held town, the decision to use siege tactics has complicated and delayed operations. Thousands of civilians are trapped in the town, and the slow pace of operations has allowed IS fighters to dig in to stage harsh counterattacks. But Iraq’s elite counterterrorism forces say the approach is key to ensuring their territorial gains stick. (AP Photo/Khalid Mohammed)
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