500 killed as Ramadi falls to IS

Extremists gaining ground as bodies litter streets, soldiers flee city

A spokesman for the governor of Iraq's Anbar province said on Monday that about 500 people - both civilians and Iraqi soldiers - are estimated to have been killed over the past few days as the city of Ramadi fell to the Islamic State group.

The estimates follow a shocking defeat as Islamic State seized control of the Anbar provincial capital on Sunday, sending Iraqi forces fleeing in a major loss despite the support of US-led airstrikes targeting the extremists.