The most prominent Anbar development today has been the bombardment of a number of districts in Hit township. The bombardment has killed 15 residents, including seven members of one family. Their funerals have taken place a short time ago.
Gunmen activity has resulted in their seizure of large areas of western Anbar and large sections in the western and northwestern sectors of Hit Town. The seat of Hit's provincial council and a number of police stations have also been blown up.
Intermittent fierce clashes have also been taking place between the gunmen and tribal forces supporting the military.
The Anbar local government has issued an urgent call to the central government to provide support, especially from the air.
Meanwhile the gunmen have seized control of the area between Anbar and the Samarra township in Salahuddin province. The triangle formed by Fallujah, Garma, and Samarra is now (as of noon today) in ISIL hands following the withdrawal of the army units from that area.
In Ramadi, there is astonishment over the decision to withdraw of army units from the residential districts of Anbar's cities and towns; the Anbar Council has once again called for the replacement of the Anbar Operations commander, Gen. Rashid Flayyih; it has also warned that the coming few hours will be disastrous unless positive steps are taken to spare the governorate a further expansion by ISIL forces. Only three areas - Baghdadi which is the location of the Ayn al-Asad military base, Sufiya, and Habbaniya - are still controlled by security forces. In other area, military operations have been continuing for 2 days.
Meanwhile, Haditha is still relatively calm, with intermittent clashes taking place around the town's perimeter.
Also today, the Albu Risha area east of Ramadi was attacked by ISIL elements; at least 11 members of the 'Awakenings' forces have been killed, as have a number of the gunmen.
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