28 July 2015

In Ramadi today, the city's eastern sector came under a fierce attack by ISIL gunmen who tried to approach the defensive front-line positions of the security forces in Eastern Husayba and Juwayba and the northern riverside areas. Security forces destroyed three explosives-rigged vehicles before they reached their targets. Anbar Operations are reporting that at least 33 ISIL gunmen were killed in the three-hour-long clashes in eastern Ramadi.

In southern Ramadi, security forces are still holding the Anbar University buildings and are forming their lines for an advance into the Ta'meem district in the southwest of the city. The forces also took control of the ceramics plant in westernmost Ramadi. Meanwhile Iraqi and Coalition air strikes have been launched against targets within the city and along its perimeter, killing at least 21 ISIL gunmen, as reported by Anbar Operations.

In Fallujah, security forces are still tightening their stranglehold on the city. An attempted ISIL attack on the areas around the Tharthar barrage has been turned back, and at least 13 gunmen were killed in the attempt.

In Garma, security force have succeeded in making penetrations into the town's center, but they have not yet taken full control of the center.

Meanwhile Anbar-sourced People's Mobilization units and some tribal volunteer units have completed their training and are to be deployed within the Anbar Emergency forces. 

27 July 2015

In Ramadi today, security forces have completed their control over the city's southern front, having announced that they have liberated all of Ramadi University's buildings and have reached the demarcation line of the Ta'meem district. Meanwhile, heavy equipment and reinforcements have been deployed in the city's southern sector. Security forces have also killed three would-be suicide bombers driving three explosives-rigged vehicles attempting to approach the Anbar University campus. All three vehicles were destroyed.

Security forces also launched a military operation east of Ramadi and into the areas leading to the southern sector.

In fierce clashes in Khalidiya, north of Ramadi, security forces have killed at least 35 ISIL gunmen.

Families are still making their way out of Ramadi, using access routes that have been cleared by security forces, especially from the southern and eastern sectors of the city. Meanwhile, intelligence reports indicate that ISIL gunmen are fleeing from within Ramadi toward Hit township.

In Fallujah, security forces have thwarted an ISIL attack on the Tharthar barrage area in southernmost Fallujah. Hundreds of families are still leaving the fully-surrounded city, but there are reports that the gunmen have resorted to using more than 4,000 families as human shields within the city.

Security forces are still closing in on Garma's town center and are now within about 3 kilometers from their goal.

The Jazeera and Badiya forces in western Anbar have announced that they have killed at least 17 ISIL gunmen, including 3 snipers, in the Baghdadi township when they attempted an attack on a military barracks in southwestern Baghdadi.

07 June 2015

Joint Iraqi forces supported by tribal fighters and People’s Mobilization militiamen today established control over the Tigris Arm area that lies between three Provinces: Anbar, Salahuddin, and Mosul. Security forces have also taken control of the area along the boundary between Anbar and the areas adjacent to Samarra.

Meanwhile Iraqi aircraft and Coalition warplanes carried out a number of strikes on several areas of Tharthar and on to the areas across the Euphrates from Ramadi. Anbar Operations and Police sources are reporting that at least 23 ISIL gunmen were killed by the strikes.

The security situation in Ramadi: following the failed ISIL attack against the areas east of the city, security forces have advanced into areas that had been recently captured by the gunmen to the southwest of Husayba and the eastern outskirts of Ramadi; Iraqi gunships carried out a number of strikes on ISIL positions within the city, killing at least 7 gunmen gathered around an ISIL observation post facing the front lines in Ramadi. The Bu-Farraj and Bu-Ghanim areas were also struck.

Elsewhere in Anbar, Coalition warplanes struck an ISIL position in the area between Haditha and Baiji in Salahuddin Province, killing 3 of the gunmen.

In Fallujah, 3 residents were killed and 9 were wounded by the ongoing indiscriminate bombardment exchanges between security forces around the city’s perimeter and the ISIL gunmen who have been occupying the city for more than one year.

In Garma, 1^st Division sources are confirming that security forces have been able to penetrate 20 km into the township and that they are continuing their operations in the area against the ISIL gunmen holding the town center.

03 June 2015

Ramadi city perimeter is still fully surrounded; there were clashes today on more than one front: in the city’s southern sector security forces are slowly advancing into the southern districts.

There were also clashes in Ramadi’s eastern and northern sectors since early this morning.

Within the city, ISIL has been still holding and shutting down the Ramadi Barrage to the west of the city, resulting in a major drop  in the water level in the Euphrates. Anbar officials are warning that ISIL’s continued closure of the barrage will adversely affect the water reaching eastern Anbar and on toward the southern Iraqi provinces.

Meanwhile, clashes, bombardments and Iraqi and coalition air strikes are continuing in the areas east of Ramadi and on into the central districts of the city.

ISIL is continuing its pressures on the youth in the areas they hold to join their ranks in fighting against the security forces.

Security sources are reporting fierce clashes in the areas between Samarra city and the Tharthar areas in southwestern Anbar. Security forces are advancing to take control of the Tharthar Barrage.

In Fallujah, 5 residents were killed and 7 wounded by the continuing random bombardment exchanges between security forces along the city’s perimeter and the ISIL gunmen holding the city.

A number of districts in Garma have been bombarded and clashes are continuing in the Sheeha and Subayhat areas.

01 June 2015

In the Tharthar area north of Fallujah, an explosives-rigged armored vehicle driven by an ISIL gunman who  drove it up to the HQ of the 3^rd Division before detonating his cargo and himself, killing and wounding dozens of security personnel, especially Federal Police personnel at the location.

Meanwhile, Iraqi and coalition warplanes launched heavy strikes on the Tharthar and surrounding areas

In Ramadi, security forces clashed with ISIL gunmen in the city’s southern sector and on toward westernmost Ramadi. Security forces have also penetrated deep into the areas east of Ramadi where reports indicate that heavy military vehicles and artillery pieces have been arriving, as have large numbers of the People’s Mobilization militias. Ramadi has been totally cut off by security forces who are bombarding the city’s central districts.

In Fallujah, for the fourth consecutive day, particularly heavy bombardment exchanges between security forces along the city’s perimeter and the gunmen holding the city has wounded 19 civilian residents, mostly women and children, and killing 11 others.

In Garma township, clashes erupted in the Subayhat area where a booby-trapped home housing 5 ISIL gunmen was blown up.

26 April 2015

In southwestern Ramadi, an army barracks was attacked by an explosives-laden vehicle, killing 7 security personnel and wounding 5 others. Security forces have repelled another surprise ISIL attack armed with light and medium weapons in the same area. There are still reports indicating ISIL’s intention to attack that area.

Meanwhile in Baghdadi, security forces have confronted since the early hours of this morning a fierce two-front ISIL attack: one was from the eastern reaches of the town and the second from the western Jubba area. The security forces’ Emergency Regiment repelled the attack, reporting that they have killed 14 of the attacking gunmen.

Iraqi gun ships and coalition warplanes have attacked a number of areas and ISIL positions. There are also reports of an imminent campaign by security forces to take control of the eastern sector of Baghdadi.

The Sufiya area east of Ramadi came under heavy bombardment and it is reported that security forces are planning to penetrate into the Sufiya in the coming hours, after Iraqi air support and coalition warplanes pave the way for them to advance.

In central Ramadi, ISIL has blown up a building housing at the Anbar University college.

Meanwhile security forces are advancing into Ramadi’s southwestern sector, particularly the Hawz district.

Also today, military reinforcements have reached the city center and the Bu-Farraj area.

Since yesterday, more than 2,000 families have returned to the central Ramadi districts.

In Tharthar, troops have parachuted into the vicinity of the Warwar Barrage held by ISIL gunmen in this extreme southwestern area of the province.

In Fallujah, two booby-trapped fuel tanker trailers were detonated by security forces on the city’s northern outskirts. At least 19 gunmen were killed by bombardments launched by security forces in the area; meanwhile, sources are reporting that there have been civilian casualties in southwestern Fallujah.

In Garma, the military operation to seize control of the town is in its second day and fierce clashes are still continuing there. 

29 March 2015

In Ramadi, security forces have destroyed a booby-trapped vehicle before the ISIL gunmen could detonate it in the city’s southern sector Hawz district. Security forces have also killed 8 gunmen who had attacked them in the same area. Fierce clashes then erupted and spread into the neighboring districts.

In the area between Khalidiya and the ‘Japanese Bridge’ into the northeast of Ramadi, another explosives-loaded vehicle attempting to assault a 1^st Division position was detonated by security forces before it reached its target. 4 gunmen were killed at the scene. 

Meanwhile, military operations are continuing in the areas around Garma. Security forces with Iraqi support have today killed at least 13 gunmen in Garma township. Meanwhile Garma’s town center is still surrounded on all sides by security forces, but an incursion into the town has not yet been attempted. In clashes around the town, security forces have bombarded a number of ISIL positions, killing at least 33 gunmen in the town center.

Security forces have also disarmed at least 36 explosive devices planted by ISIL gunmen in clashes in the Tharthar area which was also targeted by Iraqi air strikes.

In Fallujah, a General Hospital source has reported that 3 residents have been killed and at least 7 wounded by the ongoing random bombardment exchanges between security forces on the city’s perimeter and the ISIL gunmen holding the city itself.

Meanwhile the western Anbar townships, particularly Hit, Baghdadi, and Haditha have all been relatively calm today.

09 February 2015

It was announced today that the ISIL military 'Wali' in the Jazeera area at Al-Tharthar, Jubayir Al-Algawi, and six of his aides were killed when tribal fighters in the area carried out an attack supported by security forces in the area. A security source has also stated that security forces have taken control of the areas around the Tharthar barrage opposite Ramadi city.

In a further announcement, two ISIL leaders in the Shjariya area, one a Chinese national and the other a Bengali national, were killed when ISIL gunmen attempted to re-take control of Shjariya in a three-pronged attack against security forces in the area repelled the attack, helped by Iraqi air support.

In the Birwana area of Haditha township, ISIL gunmen launched an attack on the area but were driven back by tribal fighters and security forces.

Coalition warplanes today carried out a number of strikes on Al-Qaim in western Anbar on the Iraqi-Syrian border, on the Garma area, and on the areas around Fallujah. Initial Anbar Operations casualty reports indicate that at least 33 ISIL gunmen were killed by the strikes. Meanwhile preparations are underway for an imminent major assault on Hit, according to security and police sources.

In Ramadi's southern sector, broad-based clashes are underway in the sector's residential districts where security forces supported by the 'Golden Division' have repelled a new ISIL attack.

Regarding the incident two days ago in which an armed 'people's fighter' killed two Ramadi civilians, three suspects have been arrested today and taken to the Anbar Operations command. The arrests came in the wake of major demonstrations in Ramadi and Amiriyat Al-Fallujah demanding the removal of the paramilitaries from Anbar, while demanding that the province's own fighters be armed and supplied. The demonstrators stressed that, unless the accused are brought to justice, they would desist from fighting against ISIL.