Military forces push into jihadist-held Fallujah

Offensives sparks fears IS could try to use 50,000 civilians as human shields

Iraqi forces thrust into the city of Fallujah from three directions on Monday, marking a new and perilous urban phase in the week-old operation to retake the jihadist bastion.

Led by the elite counterterrorism service, Iraq's best trained and most seasoned fighting unit, the forces pushed in before dawn, commanders said.