ERBIL, Kurdistan Region – More than 11,000 families have returned to areas of Iraq’s Anbar province that have been liberated from the Islamic State (ISIS) group, an Iraqi official said.
“During the past days, more than 11,000 families returned to the liberated areas in the province,” Ibrahim Awsaij, mayor of Anbar’s capital, Ramadi, told reporters on Saturday.
The families will be settled in the neighborhoods of Tamim, al- Qatana, al-Malab and al-Andalws in Ramadi, he said.
"So far, the number has risen to 11,150 families," who have returned, the mayor added.
In December, the Iraqi army said it had defeated ISIS in Ramadi and that it had taken control of government buildings in the city center.
The mayor said that a special committee has been formed to investigate the identities of returned families, presumably to ensure that there are no ISIS militants hiding among them.
The Iraqi army, backed by US air support, retook a vast majority of Ramadi from ISIS seven months after it fell to the militants. But ISIS still controls pockets of resistance in the westernmost parts of Anbar, namely Qaim.
In Anbar, Iraqi forces also have been advancing in the small Ramadi town of Hit, where they say they have captured several districts and liberate 1,000 families held hostage by ISIS.
“During the past days, more than 11,000 families returned to the liberated areas in the province,” Ibrahim Awsaij, mayor of Anbar’s capital, Ramadi, told reporters on Saturday.
The families will be settled in the neighborhoods of Tamim, al- Qatana, al-Malab and al-Andalws in Ramadi, he said.
"So far, the number has risen to 11,150 families," who have returned, the mayor added.
In December, the Iraqi army said it had defeated ISIS in Ramadi and that it had taken control of government buildings in the city center.
The mayor said that a special committee has been formed to investigate the identities of returned families, presumably to ensure that there are no ISIS militants hiding among them.
The Iraqi army, backed by US air support, retook a vast majority of Ramadi from ISIS seven months after it fell to the militants. But ISIS still controls pockets of resistance in the westernmost parts of Anbar, namely Qaim.
In Anbar, Iraqi forces also have been advancing in the small Ramadi town of Hit, where they say they have captured several districts and liberate 1,000 families held hostage by ISIS.
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