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.  

22 June 2014

Iraqi army units have withdrawn from the westernmost border crossing in Anbar. Syrian air force planes launched air attacks at several gunmen positions in the no-man's-land along the road between Iraq and Syria, at Al-Waleed.

Meanwhile, the towns of Ana, Rawa, and Al-Qai'm are now completely in the gunmen's hands. This morning, Rutba awoke to find that the military units there have withdrawn, leaving the gunmen in control of all the town's vital installations. Observers are now estimating that about 80% of Anbar governorate is under the control of the gunmen. However in Hit and Haditha townships, where the tribal Awakenings are active, more than 5,000 tribal fighters took part in a military parade in the townships.

In Ramadi, there have been intermittent clashes in the area around Anbar University and the western sector of the city.

In Fallujah, the city is still surrounded but gunmen who had seized control of the Al-Maftoul crossing have now removed all the concrete barricades, allowing a significant number of residents to return to their homes even though their residential districts are still being randomly shelled. The casualty figures for yesterday and up to noontime today show that at least 4 residents have been killed and 11 have been wounded by the resumption of the shelling of a number of the city's districts.

Speculation is continuing about the ability of the gunmen to seize control of the whole governorate, that would threaten imminent military operations along the administrative boundary between Anbar and Baghdad Governorate, given that the Al-Garma and Fallujah junction is no more than 60 km from the capital.

Political activity is still seeking a way out of the crisis, but it is difficult to foresee the effect of the events in Salahuddin, Mosul, Kirkuk, and Diyala, given that the gunmen are using their vehicles to maintain control of the roads in the areas between Anbar, Nineveh, and, Salahuddin.

12 June 2014

In Fallujah, gunmen have succeeded in seizing the Al-Maftoul crossing which is the only access point into and out of Fallujah. It had been under the control of Iraqi forces, but after violent clashes yesterday the gunmen succeeded this morning in capturing the crossing. They have removed the concrete barriers and are now operating the crossing.

Within Fallujah, the northeastern areas of the city were the scene of intermittent clashes, especially in Al-Sichir and along the Baghdad highway.

A source at the Fallujah General Hospital has just announced that 2 people have been killed and 4 others wounded in the shelling of several residential districts.

In Al-Garma, northeast of Fallujah, shelling has been continuous since last night and into this morning. The targeted districts have also been the scene of fierce clashes between military forces and the gunmen inside the town.

In Ramadi, a local government official announced today that an extended meeting between the Anbar governor and security commanders in Anbar. The meeting centered on altering the situation from its present defensive mode into an offensive mode, in order to re-establish control over all of Ramadi. Areas outside Ramadi, on Al-Khalidiya Island are still the scene of intermittent clashes. No casualty count has yet been announced.

In Hit, army engineers were able to disarm a car bomb that had been parked next to a garage. The other western regions of Anbar are under strict security measures following confirmed reports of the gunmen's plans to assault the western towns, along the lines of what took place in Salahuddin, Nineveh, and some parts of Kirkuk.

Some units of the Iraqi army's Border Guards have been withdrawn, in a sudden and surprise move, from the areas along the border with Syria.

Meanwhile, volunteer tribal forces have taken up arms and are protecting the border strip against any infiltration by Iraqis or non-Iraqis.

Generally, citizens are concerned and afraid that the security situation in Anbar will deteriorate, in a similar way to what has already happened in the other Iraqi governorates bordering Anbar.