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Iraqi army units have withdrawn from the westernmost border crossing in Anbar.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 This morning, Rutba awoke to find that the military units there have withdrawn, leaving the gunmen in control of all the town's vital installations.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.

10 June 2014

Military, security, and local police forces in Anbar, particularly in the regions bordering on Salahuddin Governorate, have adopted security measures as a precaution against the spillover of the situations in Salahuddin and Nineveh into the secure regions of western Anbar.

Meanwhile, military operations are still underway in Fallujah which has been shelled since last night and through noontime today. An initial casualty count shows that 4 residents have been killed and 7 others have been wounded in several of the city's districts.

Two bridges have been blown up: the one connecting Fallujah city with the Amiriyat Al-Fallujah township in the city's southern sector; the second, known as Al-Ibra Bridge, connects Amiriyat Al-Fallujah with Baghdad. Both are vitally important bridges and are main access routes into and out of Fallujah.

In Ramadi, there were violent clashes last night in connection with the escalation of fighting in the areas around Anbar University between gunmen and the security forces, as well as in areas that had been under the control of security forces and to which the gunmen have now returned.

In the continuing civilian exodus from Ramadi and Fallujah, more than 320 families have today moved out of their homes on their way to Hit township in western Ramadi where they were received by some of the humanitarian organizations, and they are now housed in school buildings under very difficult living conditions. With the onslaught of the summer heat and with the approach of Ramadan they are still calling for relief aid.

09 June 2014

Last night in Ramadi, gunmen blew up the central oil distribution center. This vital facility is operated by the local government. The fires raged for many hours, into this morning. Civil defense forces and fire brigades were able to put out the fires.

Also today, gunmen blew up the Al-Bzaizeez bridge that links Fallujah city with Amiriyat Al-Fallujah and is considered to be a vital bridge in the southern region of Fallujah. An explosives-laden boat was detonated on the Euphrates River as it crashed into the bridge pylons, causing the bridge to collapse, but without causing any casualties.

There were military operations and fierce clashes in Fallujah and Al-Garma. A family that was about to leave Al-Garma was hit by shelling that killed all 6 of the family members. Seven other people were wounded by the shelling, and there was major damage to civilian buildings, schools, and to the town's infrastructure.

Two women were killed in Fallujah and 4 others were wounded by the ongoing indiscriminate shelling of a number of the city's residential districts.

The Anbar University in Ramadi was the scene of fierce and violent fighting; a security source has revealed that gunmen are still holding at least 15 of the university's teaching staff as hostages. Intermittent clashes are still going on in the university grounds. The source added that the gunmen have stolen 15 billion dinars (about $1.28 million) from the university.

Politically, there have been statements indicating that agreement has been reached with the central government on the timing of the general conference that was called by Prime Minister Nouri Al-Maliki. It has been scheduled for June 20th and will be aimed at resolving the Anbar crisis. The local government has called on all political entities and tribal leaders to attend, pointing out that there will be no 'red lines' applied to any individuals, even those who took up arms against the security forces; they can all attend and take part in the conference.

08 June 2014

Ramadi has been much quieter today in comparison with the preceding days that saw the students at Anbar University becoming embroiled in the security-related events in Ramadi city. 
A huge fire has engulfed and destroyed most of the shops and businesses on Al-Shorja Street, the main wholesale market in the city center. No casualties have been reported but the material and structural damage is huge. The fire was caused by the nearby fighting between gunmen and army forces that included shelling of the vicinity, and fire quickly spread and destroyed an estimated 100 shops and businesses and some public facilities in the market area.
Also today, one of the homes of Dr. Abdul-Malik Al-Sa'adi in central Ramadi was set ablaze in the second incident of its kind involving a residence belonging to the religious scholar. Today's fire was the work of unknown attackers; the residence was unoccupied and there were no injuries reported.
Ramadi's residential districts have been relatively calm today but gunmen are still holding the square-shaped area in the southern/southeastern sector of the city; security forces have been unable to move into the area.

In Fallujah, the General Hospital announced that 2 elderly women have been killed by mortar fire that struck their central-Fallujah home.

According to UN estimates announced today, more than 486,000 families have been displaced from Ramadi and Fallujah. They are now facing harsh living conditions and are calling on the central and local governments to seek urgent solutions and to provide them with relief aid.

07 June 2014

At 06:30 this morning, gunmen attacked and seized the Anbar University building in southwestern Ramadi after fierce clashes that continued for several hours. Three university guards were killed at the main entrance to the university campus. The gunmen also blew up the bridge connecting the university with Ramadi city, causing severe structural damage. There were more than 1,000 students in the buildings during the six-hour battle; fortunately, this took place on a Saturday, when classes are limited at all of the university's colleges. College administration and teaching staff were able to open a gate in the campus' security fence, allowing all the students to reach the 5 km district. Up to this minute security forces are saying that some of the buildings are in the hands of the gunmen, but army and police forces have not resorted to shelling them. There are however intermittent clashes taking place, especially at the Political Science College building, as well as at the university's administration building. 
There was also an armed confrontation and the detonation of two car bombs driven by suicide bombers in the 'Ceramic' district that is adjacent to the Anbar University district. Security forces say that they have not recorded any deaths among the university students or the teaching staff. Security precautions are in place around the university's perimeter.

At dawn today, a security source in Haditha township in western Anbar announced that ISIL gunmen using more than 35 all-terrain vehicles and carrying medium and heavy weapons attempted an assault on Haditha from both its western and northeastern approaches, but they were met head-on by security forces that prevented them from entering the town.

In Fallujah, fierce clashes erupted today in the outlying districts of the city. A medical source at the Fallujah General Hospital has confirmed that 6 people, including 4 children were wounded by the shelling of the city.
The UN has announced that there are more than 5,000 families inside Fallujah who are unable to leave the city because of their lack of financial and other material resources.

The Anbar Governorate Council held a number of meetings and emergency conferences today to discuss the latest initiative proposed by Prime Minister Nouri Al-Maliki.

In Samarra, 130 km from Anbar in Salahuddin governorate, life was almost normal today and the curfew has been lifted in most of the city. Observers say that activity within the city is normal. The final casualty count after the two days of fighting shows that 43 people were either killed or wounded in the fighting. 
An important issue is that the displaced Anbaris who sought refuge in Samarra over more than 4 months are now facing being displaced yet again, either to other Salahuddin townships or to western townships of Anbar. 

Samarra Military Command forces announced today that they have killed at least 22 suspected ISIL gunmen in various areas within Samarra, thus trying to avoid the recurrence of the gunmen's infiltration into the township. 
The local Samarra Council has stressed that it will do whatever it can to prevent such an eventuality, and promising the residents that it would reinforce its defensive capabilities to achieve that end. Samarra residents are dismayed by the burning down of most of the town's business and trading establishments, and by the fact that many businesses were looted. Local residents are saying that 7 people were killed by the SWAT forces that were sent in to the township, but security forces have, of course, denied that such an incident had taken place. Salahuddin Council is expected to launch an investigation into the incident, particularly as 7 bodies have indeed been found, 2 of whom are Anbari refugees, apparently shot to death.

18 May 2014

The security forces positioned around Fallujah that launched their military operations more than a week ago in an offensive against the city have surprised everyone today by ending their operations, while continuing their aerial strikes, in an apparent result of calls made by the local government and civil organizations to avoid the targeting civilians in their military operations. The security forces are now camped less than 4 kilometers from the city limits, but they are still bombarding residential districts; initial reports today indicate that 4 residents were killed and 4 others were wounded in the shelling aimed at these districts and districts in the northern and south/southwestern sectors of the city.

In Ramadi, the situation is relatively calm and life is returning to normal in the city. Today we observed that classes are being held at Anbar University as well as in the schools located in the calmer districts. The Education Ministry had earlier announced the postponement of exams until further notice in Ramadi, Fallujah, and Al-Khalidiya; however it has allowed schools in the safe districts within these cities to hold exams. Students among the displaced families in other Anbar regions are also being allowed to sit for their exams in their temporary locations.

Also in Ramadi, there is some activity in the public markets and residents are moving around but they are afraid of the renewal of military operations in Ramadi. Some residents took part in a demonstration in the city center, demanding that both the security forces and the gunmen leave the residential districts in order to allow the return of the displaced migrants.

In the western town of Al-Rutba, the leader of the local government council today announced that 1,000 Fallujah migrants will be received by his township. Meanwhile, aid agencies are still trying to provide some food aid to those who have been displaced to the governorate's western townships, but their living conditions and the shortages are making life very difficult for them. The local government has called on the central government to provide the funds allocated in the budget for the relief of the migrants.