Two civilians die, 2 wounded in landmine explosion in Ramadi

Ramadi (IraqiNews.com) Two civilians died and two others were wounded Tuesday when an explosive device went off north of the city of Ramadi, Anbar province, according to a security source.

The Anbar police officer told Aljournal news website that the landmine, which exploded near a railroad, was residual from Islamic State presence in the area.

According to the officer, the increased activity by citizens returning to their home areas in Ramadi has exposed hundreds of war leftovers in the city.

Iraqi and U.S.-led coalition fighter jets have regularly pounded locations held since 2014 by the Islamic State at the stronghold towns of Annah, Qaim and Rawa, west of Anbar, killing dozens of militants. Thousands of civilians are thought to be held in Islamic State captivity at those locations. It is widely expected that the Iraqi government will launch a major security offensive in Anbar once it is done with its U.S.-backed campaign to drive out IS from Mosul, the group’s principal stronghold in Iraq, which has been running since October 2016. Military officials have been quoted over the past few weeks telling of preparations to invade IS havens in the province.

Iraqi officials say IS emergence in 2014 has displaced more than four millions.