Islamic State: Iraqi army makes gains in Falluja offensive

<p>Iraqi government forces have made gains in their offensive to drive Islamic State militants from Falluja – one the country's two major cities in IS hands.</p><p>The nearby town of Karma, the first line of IS defence, is now in the army's hands, a BBC correspondent says.</p><p>Large numbers of elite combat troops have also been deployed near Falluja, about 45km (28 miles) west of Baghdad.</p><p>But IS hit back north of Falluja, killing and injuring some Iraqi forces in a suicide car bomb attack.</p><p>A counter-attack south of the city was repelled with the help of helicopter gunships, the BBC's Jim Muir in Karma reports.<br><br></p>