Civilians trapped in strife-hit Iraq, Syria

BAGHDAD: Iraq’s elite forces deployed around Fallujah on Saturday, marking a new phase in efforts to retake the jihadist bastion, as concern grew for trapped civilians there and in neighboring Syria.

After almost a week of shaping operations around Fallujah, the arrival of the counter-terrorism service (CTS) signaled that an assault on the Islamic State group inside the city may be imminent.