10 August 2014

From Anbar

Q:  What are the latest developments in the security situation in Anbar?

A:  The latest development has been the announcement by the Anbar Police commander, Gen. Ahmed Saddam, that security forces have continued their military operation in Al-Hamidhiya on Ramadi Island, with army and police forces entering and securing the whole area.

A surprising development today - particularly as security and police had a few days ago taken over parts of Al-Khalidiya Island - has been the withdrawal of those forces, allowing ISIL forces to re-enter and seize control of those areas once again.

In Haditha, there have been intermittent clashes following the capture of four areas around the town.

In Fallujah, shelling has killed 3 residents and wounded 4 others.

Q:  Yesterday there were reports that Lt.-Gen. Rasheed Flayeh had announced that 47 gunmen were killed trying to infiltrate into Al-Garma. Has their been a change in the balance of power? Are government forces now taking the initiative, or are they still reluctant in attempting to re-take some of the area and to launch attacks against the armed groups?

A:  Generally speaking, based on our observations on the ground, there have been some changes following the dispersal of the gunmen into larger areas and their spreading into other governorates, their numbers remaining in Anbar are fewer than when they were concentrating solely on Anbar. Now there appears to be a positive view of the security forces that are moving into areas that were previously inaccessible to them. In particular, a number of families have been returning to their homes in Ramadi - to the districts that have been relatively calm over the last few days.

From Mosul

Q:  Is there any improvement in the living conditions of the people in Mosul, and what about the food and fuel shortages?

A:  I'm very sorry to say that there has been no improvement at all in the security situation in Mosul which is still plagued by extreme crises: the national electricity supply and fuel are completely unavailable; many employees have not received their salaries for more than two months, not to mention the government's air strikes on the city. All of that has taken its toll on the living conditions and on people's psychological well-being. Many basic supplies have disappeared from the markets and hospitals are struggling with medical supply shortages.

Q:  Gunmen are in control of the access routes into the city and the flow of goods and people into the city is subject to special conditions. There are reports that some Nineveh employees have received their salaries from other cities while others are still doing without. How true are these reports and how does this arrangement work?

A:  It is true that some employees have received their salaries for the last two months from other Nineveh townships, and some have received their pay from Kirkuk, but the fact that these alternative sources are not under government control has deprived the others. With regard to access routes into and out of the city, they are mostly closed in most directions because of the security situation, making it difficult for people to get their owed salaries from elsewhere outside Mosul.