Islamic State kidnaps five families while fleeing in western Anbar

Anbar (IraqiNews.com) Islamic State kidnapped five families over attempting to flee from a region to another in western Anbar, a security source was quoted saying.

Speaking to Alghad Press, the source said, “IS militants kidnapped five families in the middle of desert as they were trying to escape from Qaim town toward Rutba and took them to unknown destination.”

“Most of the abducted people were elderly and children with only three youth,” the source added.

Earlier on the day, more than 17 families reportedly fled IS havens in the towns of Annah, Rawa and Qaim, near the western borders with Syria, towards security deployments in Rutba.

Fighter jets from the Iraqi army and the international coalition regularly pound IS locations in the province.

Anbar’s western towns of Anah, Qaim and Rawa are still held by the extremist group since 2014, when it occupied one third of Iraq to proclaim a self-styled Islamic Caliphate. Iraqi troops were able to return life back to normal in the biggest cities of Anbar including Fallujah, Ramadi and others after recapturing them.

In late July, a military source was quoted saying that Lt.Gen Abdul-Amir Yarallah, commander of the Nineveh Operations, ordered to besiege IS havens in western Anbar preparing to invade them.