Amid fierce fighting on the road to Falluja, Iraqi forces and allied militiamen closed in on the ISIL stronghold on Thursday.<br /><br /> But alarming new reports emerged about the desperate plight of civilians trapped there.<br /><br /> Celebrating the liberation of nearby Karma – a key supply line for ISIL – Iraqi forces were congratulated by their Prime Minister, Haider al-Abadi, on Thursday.<br /><br /> Abadi also appealed for an end to public protests against his government until Falluja has been recaptured from the extremists who have held it for over two years.<br /><br /> He insisted the main purpose of the military operation is to protect Falluja’s residents from terrorism, murder and torture carried out by the so-called Islamic State group, also known as Daesh.<br /><br /> The offensive began on Monday and, as the battle rages, some 50,000 civilians are said to be trapped there, without water, electricity or fuel.<br /><br /> The few who have managed to flee have reported cases of starvation, according to one NGO, the Norwegian Refuge
