Iraq allocates four billion dinars for Anbar rehabilitation

Anbar (Iraqinews.com) Iraqi Prime Minister Haidar al-Abadi has approved the allocation of 4 billion Iraqi dinars for the rehabilitation of Anbar, Governor Mohamed al-Halbusi said.

Speaking at a press conference on Thursday at the governorate’s headquarters, Halbusi said, “We will embark on rehabilitating all districts and areas of Anbar, particularly western ones, next week.”

“Of all 120 projects, six will be launched next week at the western areas,” he said, adding that coordination is underway with all international organizations to restore Anbar’s stability.

“The prime minister also allowed a second batch of fired policemen to assume security duties again in the governorate,” Halbusi pointed out.

Iraq declared the collapse of Islamic State’s territorial influence in Iraq in November with the recapture of Rawa, a city on Anbar’s western borders with Syria, which was the group’s last bastion in Iraq.

Last week, Abadi declared final victory over Islamic State three years after the militant group captured about a third of Iraq’s territory.

Abadi’s announcement came two days after Russia announced a similar victory over Islamic State militants in neighboring Syria. Abadi declared Dec. 10 an annual national holiday on this occasion.

A government campaign, backed by paramilitary troops and a U.S.-led international coalition, has been fighting the Islamic State group, which declared a self-styled “caliphate” from Mosul in June 2014.