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ISIS militants overran Iraqi government defenses east of the city of Ramadi Thursday, police and pro-government tribal fighters said, The Daily Star reports, citing news agencies.

The defensive line was breached at Husaiba, about 10 km from the city, Thursday afternoon after ISIS fighters intensified mortar and rocket fire.

“The situation is very critical now after ISIS fighters managed to overrun our defensive line in Husaiba,” police Maj. Khalid al-Fahdawi said. “We have retreated to the eastern part of the area and we’re waiting for more reinforcements and air force strikes to stop the Daesh [ISIS] advance,” he added.

Ramadi fell to the insurgents Sunday in the most significant setback for Iraqi security forces in nearly a year.

The ISIS advance has exposed the shortcomings of Iraq’s army and the limitations of U.S. airstrikes.

U.S. President Barack Obama described the loss of the key Iraqi territory as a tactical setback, while insisting the war against ISIS is not being lost.

“I don’t think we’re losing,” Obama said in an interview with news magazine The Atlantic published Thursday, days after the Iraqi city of Ramadi was overrun.

Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi Thursday urged the Russian leadership to boost its involvement in the fight against ISIS, with Moscow pledging to supply weapons.

On a visit to Moscow, Abadi warned Russian President Vladimir Putin and Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev that terrorism is spreading. “Terrorism is not limited to our country,” he told Putin.

“We hope that today’s visit helps continuing support and strengthening cooperation in battling terrorism not just in Iraq but the whole region.”