Policeman killed, 7 wounded in Anbar blasts

ANBAR, Sept. 20 (Iraqi News) – A policeman was killed and seven others wounded in two separate blasts that targeted two Iraqi police patrols in al-Anbar, a police source in the province said on Saturday. “An improvised explosive device went off today near an Iraqi police patrol very close to the H3 refinery west of Haditha city, (250 km) west of Baghdad, killing one policeman and injuring three others,” the source told IraqiNews.com – Voices of Iraq – (Iraqi News) on customary condition of anonymity out of security concerns. Meanwhile, the same source said that a hand grenade today targeted a police patrol in al-Debes area, central Hit city, wounding four men, including an officer in the city police. Anbar, whose capital is Ramadi, lies 110 km west of Baghdad. Anbar is the largest province in Iraq geographically. Encompassing much of the country’s western territory, it shares borders with Syria, Jordan and Saudi Arabia. Anbar is overwhelmingly Sunni Muslim Arab. Anbar’s main cities are Falluja, the capital Ramadi, Haditha, Hit, Aana and Rutba. The name of the province translates “granaries,” as this region was the primary entrepôt on the western borders of Lakhmid Kingdom. The province was known as Dulaim until 1962 when it was changed to Ramadi. In 1976 it was renamed al-Anbar. AmR (S) 1