Dozens of families flee Islamic State strongholds in western Anbar
Displaced families. File photo.
Anbar (IraqiNews.com) Fifty Iraqi families fled Islamic State strongholds in western Anbar on Sunday as security forces prepare to invade militant-held havens, a local official said.
Emad al-Dulaimi, mayor of the city of Rutba, west of Ramadi, said that 50 families fled the towns of Rawa and Qaim towards areas held by security forces. He said the families will be transferred to more secure areas.
Dulaimi said the civilians managed to pass through checkpoints and barricades erected by Islamic State members who lost control over them.
Islamic State militants have systematically executed civilians fleeing areas they had taken over since 2014. Many other civilians were also executed for contacting security forces.
Islamic State has held the towns of Annah, Rawa and Qaim since 2014, when it proclaimed an Islamic “caliphate” in Iraq and Syria. 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 2015 and 2016.
Iraqi government and paramilitary forces regained control over Annah in September. Troops are currently in parallel operations to retake Kirkuk’s Hawija from the militants.
Rights groups believe Islamic State militants are holding at least 65000 civilians at their strongholds in western Anbar, voicing fears that those could be used as human shields. Militants have regularly shot dead or caught and executed civilians fleeing those regions.
Iraq’s war against IS has displaced nearly three million civilians since 2014.