ERBIL, Kurdistan Region – Eighty-two civilians in the embattled town of Fallujah have been killed and wounded due to random bombardments of the Shiite militias in two days of military operations, and that has concerned US military personnel involved in operations in the battle for Fallujah. "As a result of mortar shells by [Shiite militia] Hashd al-Shaabi, 32 people were killed and 50 wounded including women and children in Fallujah," said Uzal Fahdawi, a member of Anbar Provincial Council. Iraqi troops backed by Shiite militia and coalition air support launched a major offensive on Sunday to wrest control of Fallujah from the Islamic State (ISIS) two years after the group captured the Sunni city. Concerning the random mortar shells Hashd al-Shaabi has been launching on Fallujah, US military personnel have held urgent meetings with top commanders of the offensive, namely Abdul Wahab Saadi, commander of the Fallujah operations command and many other high-ranking Iraqi military officers. "Shiite militia have to immediately stop random mortar shells and also no barriers should be put before civilians fleeing the town and their men should not be imprisoned," said Fahdawi quoting US military officials during a three hour long meeting with Iraqi army officials. He added that "in the meeting it was also decreed that Hashd al-Shaabi should be withdrawn and renounce the battle for Fallujah, but they are still bombing the town." Of 10,000 families believed to be still living in the city, only 80 have been able to flee, according to information obtained by Rudaw. They fear that any family seen trying to escape the terrorist group will be executed. The Anbar provincial council member also disclosed that ISIS has been using civilians as human shields since day one. The Iraqi army continues to bring in large reinforcements to increase the pressure on ISIS to abandon the contested town. "Anbar tactical police regiment has a record number of 400 policemen that have been fully equipped by the USA to take part in military operations and have been based on the outskirts of Fallujah," said Hadi Rzich, Anbar police commander. An estimated 400 to 600 ISIS militants are believed to have been fighting off Iraqi joint forces from Fallujah, while 22,000 Iraqi joint forces have been moved to the outskirts of Fallujah to liberate the long-held ISIS town. The United Nations special envoy to Iraq called on military officials and parties involved in the ongoing battle for Fallujah “to protect the lives of civilians and preserve the city’s infrastructure,” the organization’s mission in Baghdad said in a statement. “As operations are underway to liberate Fallujah, Special Representative of the Secretary-General (SRSG) for Iraq, Mr. Ján Kubiš, strongly urges all parties to undertake every effort to protect the lives of civilians and preserve the city’s infrastructure in accordance with the relevant principles of international human rights and humanitarian law,” the statement read. The UN envoy, according to the statement, “calls on all parties to the conflict to adhere strictly to international humanitarian law, including the principles of distinction, proportionality and precaution in the conduct of hostilities, and to ensure that civilians are permitted to leave areas where fighting may be taking place in dignity and safety.”
