Story highlights Iraq says its forces seized Falluja's city center

U.S. says it's "too early" to declare liberation

(CNN) Fierce clashes broke out across Falluja, Iraq, on Friday leaders in the country declared the city free -- for the most part -- from the grips of ISIS militants.

"There are still pockets (of resistance) that will be cleared in the upcoming hours," Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi said in a televised address.

The governor of Anbar province, where Falluja is located, tweeted that the city "is liberated."

"Daesh is rapidly collapsing," Anbar Gov. Sohaib Al-Rawi said on Twitter, using another name for ISIS. "We must now focus our efforts on a major humanitarian catastrophe still unfolding."

#Fallujah is liberated. #DAESH is rapidly collapsing. We must now focus our efforts on a major humanitarian catastrophe still unfolding. — Sohaib Alrawi (@Sohaib_Alrawi) June 17, 2016

The announcement came nearly four weeks after the start of a U.S.-backed offensive to liberate ISIS' last major foothold in Anbar province.

Read More