ERBIL, Kurdistan Region — Anbar province Governor Suhaib Ismail has officially called on Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi to open a safe corridor to transfer Anbar refugees to the Kurdistan region, the Al-Mada Iraqi newspaper has reported.
Ismail reportedly called on Abadi to transfer the refugees through the Baghdad airport to the Kurdish cities of Erbil and Sulaimani.
The Islamic State group seized control of the Anbar city of Ramadi on May 15, sending Iraqi forces and refugees pouring out of the city in a major loss despite the support of US-led airstrikes targeting the extremists.
The retreat recalled the collapse of Iraqi police and military forces last summer, when ISIS’ initial blitz into Iraq captured about a third of the country.
