23 May 2014

In Fallujah today, the shelling which began last night and has continued into this afternoon was targeted at several of the city's districts. There were also simultaneous military operations in the southern and northeastern sectors of the city. A source at the Fallujah General Hospital says that 4 residents have been killed and 7 others wounded, which when added to previous casualty numbers show that the totals to date are at least 347 killed and at least 1,486 wounded.

Aerial surveillance is ongoing and there has been some aerial bombing of residential districts.

Meanwhile, more families have left the southern and northern sector districts. Fifty families have left today to seek refuge in Habbaniya and the relatively calm eastern districts of Ramadi.

In Ramadi today, a curfew has been announced from 06:00 until further notice; the Anbar police command says that this because of the military operations that have included the aim of completing the operations that have been ongoing in several Ramadi residential districts where intermittent clashes are still occurring. These districts have been closed off and no residents have been allowed to return to their homes because - according to the police announcements - there are still explosive devices and booby-trapped houses inside the districts. Strict security measures are in place along the city's perimeter, and aerial surveillance and bombing are still targeting the gunmen's positions.

Generally, Ramadi's western districts are experiencing a spell of calm and security for about the last 20 days; there is normal activity and living conditions are normal, with some families having been able to return to their homes, but those who have been displaced to the governorate's western regions - mainly from Fallujah and Ramadi - are still living under difficult conditions. Some of the displaced people have today called upon the local government to act on the disbursement of the funds that have been allocated to them by the government.