Al-Qaeda linked force declares Iraqi city Fallujah as Islamic state post-capture

An Al Qaeda-affiliated force has captured the western Iraqi city of Fallujah by raising its flag over government buildings and declaring it an Islamic state.

Fallujah has fallen to the Al-Qaeda in a chaotic three way war between local tribes, the Iraqi security forces and al-Qaeda militants, the Washington Post reports.

This was one of the most critical areas which U.S. troops fought to pacify prior to withdrawing from Iraq two years ago.

The present situation has highlighted the growing power of the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS), which is the newly titled version of the al-Qaeda in Iraq organization.

This situation poses a rising threat to Prime Minister Nuri Kamal al-Maliki and his forces.