Iraqi forces have "totally encircled" the government complex of Ramadi, the last stronghold of Islamic State militants in the western city, and are about to enter it, joint operations command spokesman Yahya Rasool told Reuters.

"We're clearing the buildings and streets around the complex of bombs in preparation to go in," he said. "I expect we will go into the complex in about an hour," he added.

Recapturing Ramadi, which fell to the militants in May, would be one of the most significant victories for Iraq's armed forces since Islamic State swept across a third of the country in 2014.  - Reuters