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.

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.

06 June 2014

A curfew has been imposed on Ramadi as a precaution against the possibility of armed assaults similar to those that targeted Samarra in Salahuddin governorate yesterday. The same is true in Mosul in Nineveh governorate.

In Fallujah, intermittent clashes have been going on since last night and into this afternoon in a number of the city's districts, especially in Al-Sichir and Al-Nu'aimiya. A number of districts have also been shelled. An initial casualty count shows that 3 children under the sge of twelve have been killed.

There has been total support expressed at meetings held between the local Anbar government and tribal sheikhs and religious scholars for the conference called for by Nouri Al-Maliki to address and resolve the Anbar situation.

In Samarra today, a curfew is still in force because of concerns over a return of the gunmen to the city. The Air Force has reported that 82 sorties have killed at least 17 ISIL gunmen in the city.

In the northern region of Mosul in Nineveh governorate, military operations were underway today. Two car bombs were detonated in an area populated mainly by Shabak residents. The military action is aimed at regaining and imposing control over most of Mosul city, after the gunmen succeeded in taking over a number of the city's districts.

05 June 2014

The contagion in Anbar seems to have spread to Salahuddin governorate, and the only crossing that was available for Anbaris on their way to Baghdad has been closed in Samarra, one of biggest districts in Salahuddin, with a population of more than 500,000 inhabitants.

Since 04:00 a.m. today, more than 150 ISIL gunmen have been able to seize control of the eastern parts of Samarra - about 40% of the province. Army and police forces withdrew suddenly from the checkpoints in those areas. Some police and army vehicles were burned and an initial count shows that 55 people - mostly police and army personnel - have been killed or wounded in Samarra. A very large re-enforcement operation is underway to Samarra, and air raids have been launched against some of the groups of gunmen within the city. The security situation is in a state of confusion, while security forces have imposed a curfew on Samarra, as well as on several other districts in the governorate as a precautionary measure to prevent a security collapse such as that which took place in Samarra. Security forces are also stating that they will re-establish control within the next few hours.

In Fallujah, the civilian exodus is still underway and the city will soon be emptied of its civilian inhabitants. Dr. Ahmed Al-Shami, the senior resident at the Fallujah General Hospital, announced today that the shelling of Fallujah has since last night killed 8 residents and wounded 10 others, among them 4 women and 2 children.

An important development has been the shooting down of an aircraft ; it crashed in the Al-Sichir, northeast of Fallujah, according to eyewitness reports.

Some Ramadi areas are relatively calm and other areas are tense, with occasional widely-dispersed gunfire. We have observed the return of more than 6,000 residents to their homes in some of the districts of central and west-central Ramadi.

The conference called by Nouri Al-Maliki aimed at getting the displaced families home for the month of Ramadan is still being supported by some and rejected by others. Both the residents and the local government have rejected plans to build new residential districts to replace those that have been severely damaged; the districts are being described as historically important. They are also concerned that they will lose money by giving up their centrally located homes by being moved out into the city's outlying areas.

30 May 2014

In Ramadi, a curfew has been imposed today after gunmen blew up the Al-Khalidiya Bridge late last night. A car bomb driven by a suicide vest clad gunman detonated the explosives at a military barracks on the bridge, causing massive damage to the bridge. This is the 24th bridge to be blown up in Anbar Governorate since the crisis began in December 2013.

Meanwhile, medium-intensity clashes have taken place in the city's southern sector districts. Security sources indicate that these clashes have taken place following the encirclement of the gunmen within them.

In Fallujah, indiscriminate shelling is continuing; there were also fierce clashes yesterday that lasted through the night and into this morning. The heavy fighting took place at the location of the partially constructed buildings belonging to Fallujah University in southern Fallujah. The Fallujah General Hospital's initial casualty count, as announced by Dr. Ahmed Al-Shami, the lead resident at the hospital, stands at 12 people wounded and no deaths today.

The Anbar Governorate Council has welcomed Al-Maliki's proposal for a general conference on the Anbar crisis, as have some parties, blocs and tribal sheikhs taking part in the local Anbar government. They have indicated their initial acceptance to take part in the conference, provided that all of its decisions must be binding on all parties.

The Council has also announced that the governorate needs large financial amounts in order to complete the reconstruction of Anbar's  infrastructure. Estimates show that more than 200 billion dinars will be needed for the reconstruction.

The overall security situation is still confusing as a result of the renewed clashes and the curfew, but some Ramadi districts are still facing a lack of municipal services; some services are fearful of sending their people into some districts and this is delaying the resumption of services such as water and electricity supplies.

The conditions being faced by the displaced families have not changed. Hundreds, if not thousands, of families are demanding and calling upon the local and central governments  to provide food and the funds required.

29 May 2014

Fallujah is still surrounded on all sides by Iraqi army forces. Fierce clashes have taken place on the city's perimeter and in the partially constructed area of buildings belonging to Fallujah University. Many of the city's districts have been shelled, from Al-Sichir in the north, the city's central districts, and on into Al-Nu'aimiya in the south. Since last night and into this afternoon, at least 4 residents have been killed and 8 wounded by the shelling.

Military operations have also been underway in Al-Garma, northeast of Fallujah, with fierce clashes continuing between the groups of gunmen and the security forces supported by army units.

In Ramadi, military operations are continuing in the city's southern sector. Yesterday there were heavy clashes in the Al-Hawz district in southwestern Ramadi which then spread into other southern districts. An Anbar Police Command spokesman has stated that they are continuing their military operations in order to regain total control of Ramadi, and that the last square-shaped area still occupied in central Ramadi by the gunmen is totally surrounded. The source expects that total control will be achieved within one week. The areas that have been taken over by the security forces are now completely secure and we have seen some families returning to their homes in those areas.

Regarding the displaced persons, there are still many families, especially from Fallujah, that have made their way to other governorates, to Kurdistan, to Baghdad, and to the towns in western Anbar. The latter displaced families are still facing shortages of food and of the relief aid provided by the relief agencies and the local government. The local authorities are being called upon to provide medicines and medical care for the sick and the elderly, following the announcement by the Anbar Council that it is proving each displaced family with 500,000 Dinars.

Reaction to Al-Maliki's proposed conference that would be attended by all parties in the conflict has been largely positive, having been welcomed by the local government and many of the tribal sheikhs. However, some tribal sheikhs are rejecting the idea, saying that the step has come too late and that the humanitarian situation needs to be resolved first.

28 May 2014

We take a look first at the reactions to the speech by Nouri Al-Maliki in which he referred to the Anbar crisis and its resolution. The Anbar Governorate Council has welcomed the proposal for a general conference that would resolve the crisis and end the suffering of those who have been displaced, before the month of Ramadan which is due to begin in about 30 days. Favorable opinions have also been expressed by the tribal sheikhs who would also take part in the conference.

On the ground, some military operations have been carried out that resulted in clashes in different parts of Fallujah. Many residential districts have been shelled, resulting in 3 residents being killed and 3 others wounded.

Gunmen have regained control of the southern area of uncompleted buildings belonging to Fallujah University after a battle that lasted several hours.

In Ramadi the news is more positive. Security forces are still surrounding the gunmen in a square-shaped area of the city. Some displaced families have been returning to their homes in the central, eastern, and western districts. Intermittent clashes have been limited to the southern sectors of the city.

There have been some media statements regarding the reports from international organizations about the use of explosive-filled drums and about some of the practices being used by the gunmen groups that may be considered war crimes, particularly in Fallujah. The local government has called on all parties to desist from resorting to such practices that cause large numbers of civilian casualties.

The displaced persons of Anbar are still decrying the lack of services; some of the migrants demonstrated today in the western regions of Anbar, demanding an improvement in services, and the disbursement of the funds allocated by the central government. Meanwhile the local government has issued a press statement, saying that it is going to raise a case against the Iraqi parliament in support of demands for the disbursement of funds.

15 May 2014

The security situation in Anbar is still escalated, particularly in Fallujah where military operations are continuing for the fifth day in succession. Fierce clashes have raged in a number of the city's districts, with initial reports indicating that 4 residents have been killed and 6 others wounded by the indiscriminate shelling on numerous residential districts. There were also battles in the city's northern sector Al-Sichir district, and in Al-Nu'aimiya, but as of this hour the security forces have not been able to enter or penetrate the city. Some sources are saying that the gunmen within the city are putting up fierce resistance, which is the way the situation has been over the past five days. There was also fighting in the city's western Al-Saqlawiya region. The Anbar Operations Command has announced that 4 gunmen have been killed in the fighting and shelling. Similar military action is also underway in Al-Garma, northeast of Fallujah.

On the political front, the Anbar Governorate Council leader, Sabah Karhout, has announced Council plans to convene a general national conference; Nouri Al-Maliki, Masoud Barzani, Ammar Al-Hakim, and Muqtada Al-Sadr have been called upon to attend the conference which will probably take place in Baghdad. Both sides in the Anbar crisis have also been called upon to attend. Dr. Sheikh Abdul-Malik Al-Sa'adi, the Mufti of Iraq and Anbar, is expected to approve of the conference. The Anbar Council has announced his acceptance of his invitation. The conference is expected to table all the parties' points of view for discussion, in an effort at playing a part in the return of the displaced families - comprising more than 700,000 people within and outside Anbar - to return to their homes from the difficult conditions they are now experiencing.

13 May 2014

Since last night Fallujah has been the scene of indiscriminate shelling that is still going on, along with violent clashes on the city's outskirts, particularly in Al-Sichir. The random shelling has been directed at most of the city's residential districts. Initial reports indicate that at least 2 residents have been killed and 8 others have been wounded.

Military operations are also continuing in and around Al-Garma and Al-Saqlawiya where gunmen are still in place. Aerial reconnaissance is also continuous and many loud explosions can be heard in those areas. However, army and security forces have still not been able to penetrate into Fallujah as of today.

In Ramadi, intermittent and dispersed clashes are continuing in the city's southern sector where resistance has been fierce.

There has been a report of a governorate delegation comprising tribal sheikhs and local government officials having traveled to Baghdad where they met today with Nouri Al-Maliki, with the probability of a second meeting tomorrow Wednesday, in an attempt to find a solution to the Anbar crisis, particularly with regard to Fallujah. There are numerous indications of agreement on a short or medium-term ceasefire that would allow civilians to evacuate Fallujah where there have been many civilian deaths and injuries during the past few days.

More than 1,500 families have migrated from Fallujah to Hit and a further 1,000 families to Haditha townships in western Anbar where they are facing harsh living conditions in school buildings. They are in desperate need of the wherewithal to survive. The local government had ordered payments of 500,000 Dinars (approx. $430) to every displaced family but these funds are not enough to provide the needs for most of multi-member families. There are also difficulties in providing for the ever-increasing numbers of displaced families whose numbers have reached more than 600,000 people within and outside Anbar governorate who have been displaced from Fallujah and Ramadi.