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ISIS fighters launched an offensive Wednesday in Iraq’s western Anbar province, capturing three villages near the provincial capital of Ramadi in the most significant threat to the city by the militants to date, The Daily Star reported citing news agencies.

They also seized ground at the Beiji oil refinery in the north as Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi, from Washington, vowed that both Anbar and Beiji would be the next objectives of his government’s forces after their recent victory in Tikrit.

In a dawn advance near Ramadi, ISIS fighters seized the villages of Sjariyah, Albu-Ghanim and Soufiya, which had also been under government control until now, and residents said they had to flee their homes. Fighting was also taking place on the eastern edges of Ramadi, about 2 kms from a government building, they added.

In Soufiya, militants bombed a police station and took over a power plant. Residents, who spoke on condition of anonymity because they feared for their safety, said airstrikes were trying to back up Iraqi troops. Iraqi security officials could not be reached for comment.

Around noon Wednesday, the militants opened another front with government troops on three other villages to the northeast of Ramadi, the residents added.

An Iraqi intelligence official said the militants were preparing to launch another offensive from the western side of the city, describing the situation as “critical.”

ISIS was also trying to take control of the main highway that runs through Ramadi to cut off supplies, the official said, speaking on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to talk to the media.