Islamic State follows fleeing families, kills two, arrests others in Anbar

Anbar (IraqiNews.com) Islamic State has followed more than six fleeing families, killed two civilians and arrested the rest in western Anbar, a security source from the province said.

Speaking to Alghad Press on Monday, the source said, “IS followed more than six families in the desert of Qaim, killed two youths and arrested the rest before they reached security troops.”

The militants, according to the source, “take the arrested youth to unknown place and hang their bodies in al-Dawar region, near borders between Iraq and Syria from the Syrian side, and write ‘this is for the apostates.”

Earlier on the day, Emad al-Dulaimi, mayor of the city of Rutba, west of Ramadi, said in press remarks that 50 families fled the towns of Rawa and Qaim towards areas held by security forces and that they were going to be transferred to more secure areas.

Anbar’s western towns of Qaim and Rawa have been held by the extremist group since 2014, when it occupied one third of Iraq to proclaim a self-styled Islamic “Caliphate”. 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 army announced the total recapture of the town of Annah, hours after recapturing neighboring Rayhana area, earlier this month. Troops also liberated Akashat region, between Rutba town, on borders with Jordan, and Qaim, on borders with Syria.