Over 700 service projects suspended in Anbar since 2014: Official

Anbar (IraqiNews.com) Over 700 service projects have been suspended in Anbar due to terrorism that occurred since emergence of Islamic State in 2014, a member from the provincial council said on Tuesday.

Speaking to BasNews website, Hamid Ahmed al-Hashim said “746 service projects were referred, before 2014 and beginning of Islamic State attacks, to executive authorities in Anbar towns. However, they were suspended since then due to deteriorated security situation there. They haven’t resumed, despite end of military operations.”

Among the suspended projects, according to Hashim, “are pivotal ones includes the strategic pilgrimage road, establishing governmental complex in the Kilo 7 region and Ramadi Modern Hotel.”

To resume the work on these projects, “financial allocations are required, which are estimated at 576 billion dinars from the central government,” Hashim said.

Security reports indicate that the militant group still poses threat against stability in the country. The group still has dormant cells, through which it carries out attacks, across Iraq like it used to do before 2014.

Earlier today, security services arrested three Islamic State members in an operation in towns of Hit, Rutba and Qaim, west of Anbar.

Thousands of Islamic State militants as well as Iraqi civilians were killed since the government campaign, backed by paramilitary troops and the coalition was launched in October 2016.