![]() |
![]() |
![]() |
![]() |
![]() |
![]() |
![]() |
![]() |
![]() |
![]() |
![]() by Staff Writers Baghdad (AFP) March 7, 2016
Three Iraqi fighters died Monday trying to defuse bombs left behind by the jihadists in Ramadi, as the toll taken by the huge mine-clearing effort there continued to rise. The victims were three local tribal fighters killed by the explosion of improvised devices they were attempting to defuse, Anbar province governor Sohaib al-Rawi said. He said the danger posed by unexploded bombs and booby-traps remained an obstacle to the return of Ramadi's residents. The local government "understands the pressing need for IDPs (internally displaced persons) to return home, but we will not allow a chaotic return resulting in more casualties," he said on social media. "We have lost more than 35 members of the security forces and sons of the tribes (tribal fighters) this year," Hamid al-Dulaimi told AFP. "As of yesterday, we had a toll of 15 deaths in our ranks alone," said Omar Khamis al-Dulaimi, a senior leader in the tribal fighters working alongside federal forces. Ramadi was declared liberated when Iraqi forces wrested the main government compound back from the Islamic State group late last year, but the city was completely retaken only last month. Laying thousands of bombs and booby-trapping buildings was the backbone of IS's defence of the city last year. Explosive ordnance disposal training has been a main focus for the US-led coalition. "The destruction is enormous, people are still being killed by IEDs and mines that have been left by Daesh (IS)," the US envoy to the coalition, Brett McGurk, said on Saturday during a visit to Baghdad. "We're very focused now on the counter-IED (improvised explosive device) mission," he said. The officials in Anbar could not provide a figure for civilians killed by unexploded bombs in Ramadi over the past few weeks. The city was virtually emptied of its population by the time the fighting culminated, and very few civilians have been able to return because of the lack of basic services and the risk of unexploded bombs.
Related Links Iraq: The first technology war of the 21st century
|
|
The content herein, unless otherwise known to be public domain, are Copyright 1995-2024 - Space Media Network. All websites are published in Australia and are solely subject to Australian law and governed by Fair Use principals for news reporting and research purposes. AFP, UPI and IANS news wire stories are copyright Agence France-Presse, United Press International and Indo-Asia News Service. ESA news reports are copyright European Space Agency. All NASA sourced material is public domain. Additional copyrights may apply in whole or part to other bona fide parties. All articles labeled "by Staff Writers" include reports supplied to Space Media Network by industry news wires, PR agencies, corporate press officers and the like. Such articles are individually curated and edited by Space Media Network staff on the basis of the report's information value to our industry and professional readership. Advertising does not imply endorsement, agreement or approval of any opinions, statements or information provided by Space Media Network on any Web page published or hosted by Space Media Network. General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) Statement Our advertisers use various cookies and the like to deliver the best ad banner available at one time. All network advertising suppliers have GDPR policies (Legitimate Interest) that conform with EU regulations for data collection. By using our websites you consent to cookie based advertising. If you do not agree with this then you must stop using the websites from May 25, 2018. Privacy Statement. Additional information can be found here at About Us. |