AT least in the Iraqi theatre of war, the tide seems to have turned against the militant Islamic State group, with government forces finally capturing Fallujah on Sunday after bitter fighting.

A triumphant Haider al-Abadi, the prime minister, asked the Iraqi people in a TV address to celebrate Fallujah’s liberation and referred to the part the army, police, the “popular mobilisation forces” and “tribal levies” had played in securing the city after heavy sacrifices.

There is no doubt Fallujah’s loss is a major blow to IS and shows the confidence the Iraqi forces have gained after taking a number of IS-held cities, including Tikrit, Sanjar, Baiji and Ramadi, the capital of the sprawling Anbar province in which Fallujah is located.

Mosul, Iraq’s second biggest city, still remains under IS control, and Mr Abadi has declared it is going to be the next job. But the final victory in Fallujah has come at a terrible price in terms of civilian casualties and mass exodus.

According to the UN, at least 80,000 people have fled Fallujah and found themselves without food and shelter in Iraq’s sweltering desert in the fasting month.

With Fallujah taken, the government must now find the time and assets to focus on the displaced lot, because relief workers have warned of a humanitarian disaster if remedial measures are not taken immediately.

Fallujah’s liberation has also led to some acts of arson and violence which seem to militate against the unity shown by the Iraqi people in wresting the city from IS.

As pointed out by the chief of Anbar province’s governing council, the “popular mobilisation forces”, backed largely by Iran, were engaged in “reprisals”, even though Sunni militias too have been part of the anti-IS operations.

There is no doubt an IS-free Iraq will have a major impact on the military situation in Syria. But Mr Abadi must ensure that the war against IS remains Iraq’s national enterprise and is not allowed to degenerate into a sectarian conflict.

Published in Dawn, June 28th, 2016