Middle-east Arab News Opinion | Asharq Al-awsat

Iraqi Forces Gain Foothold, Local Police Secure Ramadi | ASHARQ AL-AWSAT English Archive 2005 -2017
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Iraqi security men inspect a burnt car in Hit after fierce clashes with ISIS, A.F.P


Iraqi security men inspect a burnt car in Hit after fierce clashes with ISIS, A.F.P

Iraqi security men inspect a burnt car in Hit after fierce clashes with ISIS, A.F.P

Ramadi – The governorate in Anbar has all administrative bodies prepare for restoring freed neighborhoods and residential areas, making them habitable once again. The governorate’s council revealed that the area is in need of 20 billion dollar for infrastructure reconstruction after it was reduced to rubble by ISIS.

Houses, civil units, and buildings of all sorts were also damaged by military operations conducted for freeing cities. The council board demanded massive support from both the Iraqi government and International community.

Anbar council reconstruction committee chair Arkan Khalaf al-Tarmooz told Asharq Al-Awsat newspaper that the size of damage inflicted on Ramadi, capital of Al Anbar Governorate is estimated to 80 percent on a comprehensive scale. According to specialized committees for evaluation, Ramadi alone needs around nine billion dollars; meanwhile the entire governorate requires an estimated 20 billion dollars for full restoration.

Al-Tarmooz said that ISIS had shelled a large number of bridges and civilian units like homes, schools and civil service centers. Not only that, but the terrorist organization had also targeted power and water purification stations.

He added that the “local government in Anbar is saving no effort in publicizing the untold damage inflicted on Ramadi , especially after specialized committees have presented their report on the scale of damage done as to help accelerate financial grants for reconstruction.”

Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi had, earlier this year, ordered the formation for reforming a higher committee devoted to the rehabilitation of Ramadi. He emphasized that the committee would take necessary and instantaneous procedures to secure the city and get its residents back to it. A part of the World Bank and foreign allocations will be dedicated for the reconstruction of the city.

On the other hand, the Anbar council revealed that local police have taken responsibility of security in the city. One board member, Rajeh al-Aeesawi, told Asharq Al-Awsat newspaper that emergency Anbar police units have secured Ramadi, which has recently been salvaged from ISIS.

Ramadi now is completely fortified; most streets have been cleaned from explosives, wreckage and mines. Water and power are being provided by diesel-powered electric generators which are widely spread in Iraq.

“The city is being prepared for receiving civilians,” al- Aeesawi said.

“Security forces are in quest of freeing all cities and regions of the governorate, so that the suffering of over a million Anbar migrants is terminated,” he added.

Iraqi forces have been able to regain control over Al-Mashatel and Al-Muthanna, two areas situated in the southeastern area of the Hīt district in Anbar.

Control was resumed after heated clashes with ISIS militants reported tens of terrorists dead.

Maj. Gen. Ismail al-Mahlawi, head of Anbar military operations, told Asharq Al-Awsat newspaper “all Iraqi forces are achieving progress on comprehensive liberation of Hīt. Most ISIS defense lines surrounding the zone have been taken down, our armed troops are approaching city gates and are fully prepared to enter in the upcoming few hours.”

“The liberation of Ramadi is ongoing. Our troops, the tenth Iraqi Army division, local emergency police units and tribal fighters have been able to free several regions in Ramadi after executing vast military operations. 150 families were freed from ISIS, most of the families rescued are women and children who were later moved to a safeguarded safe zone,” Gen. al-Mahalawi added.