2:30 p.m. (1130 GMT)

Syrian activists say the Islamic State-held town of Palmyra is quiet a day after a series of deadly Syrian government air raids.

They say at least one child and two women were among the 15 people killed in the raids in and around Palmyra. The raids came after the government said IS fighters have killed more than 400 state employees, soldiers and pro-government gunmen since they captured the town last week.

Iraq has meanwhile launched an operation to retake the western Anbar province from the IS group, and a Shiite militia spokesman said Iraqi forces have surrounded the provincial capital, Ramadi, from three sides.

The IS group captured Palmyra and Ramadi earlier this month, showing that it's able to advance in both Syria and Iraq despite months of U.S.-led airstrikes.

___

Noon (0900 GMT)

A spokesman for Iraq's Shiite militias says an operation launched to retake the western Anbar province from the Islamic State group will "not last for a long time" and that Iraqi forces have surrounded the provincial capital, Ramadi, from three sides.

Ahmed al-Assadi, who is also a member of parliament, told reporters Tuesday that new weapons are being used in the battle "that will surprise the enemy."

Earlier on Tuesday, Iraqi state TV announced a major operation to retake Anbar, parts of which have been held by the Islamic State since early 2014. It did not provide further details.

The government has called on Shiite militias to help the army retake the Sunni province, raising concerns the offensive could heighten sectarian tensions.

___

10:30 a.m. (0730 GMT)

Iraq has announced the launch of an operation to drive the Islamic State group out of the western Anbar province, where the extremists captured the provincial capital earlier this month.

Iraqi state TV on Tuesday announced the start of the operation, in which troops will be backed by Shiite and Sunni paramilitary forces, but did not provide further details.

The Islamic State group seized large parts of Anbar starting in early 2014 and captured the provincial capital, Ramadi, earlier this month. The fall of Ramadi marked a major defeat for Iraqi forces, which had been making steady progress against the extremists over the past year with the help of U.S.-led airstrikes.