30 May 2014

In Ramadi, a curfew has been imposed today after gunmen blew up the Al-Khalidiya Bridge late last night. A car bomb driven by a suicide vest clad gunman detonated the explosives at a military barracks on the bridge, causing massive damage to the bridge. This is the 24th bridge to be blown up in Anbar Governorate since the crisis began in December 2013.

Meanwhile, medium-intensity clashes have taken place in the city's southern sector districts. Security sources indicate that these clashes have taken place following the encirclement of the gunmen within them.

In Fallujah, indiscriminate shelling is continuing; there were also fierce clashes yesterday that lasted through the night and into this morning. The heavy fighting took place at the location of the partially constructed buildings belonging to Fallujah University in southern Fallujah. The Fallujah General Hospital's initial casualty count, as announced by Dr. Ahmed Al-Shami, the lead resident at the hospital, stands at 12 people wounded and no deaths today.

The Anbar Governorate Council has welcomed Al-Maliki's proposal for a general conference on the Anbar crisis, as have some parties, blocs and tribal sheikhs taking part in the local Anbar government. They have indicated their initial acceptance to take part in the conference, provided that all of its decisions must be binding on all parties.

The Council has also announced that the governorate needs large financial amounts in order to complete the reconstruction of Anbar's  infrastructure. Estimates show that more than 200 billion dinars will be needed for the reconstruction.

The overall security situation is still confusing as a result of the renewed clashes and the curfew, but some Ramadi districts are still facing a lack of municipal services; some services are fearful of sending their people into some districts and this is delaying the resumption of services such as water and electricity supplies.

The conditions being faced by the displaced families have not changed. Hundreds, if not thousands, of families are demanding and calling upon the local and central governments  to provide food and the funds required.