New offensive in Anbar leads to more displacement

Nearly 200 families have been displaced in the western governorate of Anbar as a result of a military offensive launched by US troops backed by the Iraqi Army on 15 December. The operation, dubbed “Koa Canyon,” is ostensibly aimed at rooting out insurgents in the Jubbah/Baghdadi region and the city of Hit, 130 km west of the capital, Baghdad. “This area isn’t safe at all, especially because al-Qaida terrorists have reportedly been working in this area for six months and have been providing support for attacks countrywide,” said Hassan Obeid, a senior interior ministry official. The operation has included door-to-door searches of homes in the area, which has led many residents to flee in fear of fighting between insurgents and US and Iraqi troops. “We preferred to leave our house and stay in an abandoned school near the city, because I don’t want our children to die,” said Hit resident Abbas Rabia’a, who recently fled the city with his family. According to the Iraqi Red Crescent Society (IRCS), volunteers have been sent to assess the extent of the displacement that followed the launch of the offensive. According to information already received, nearly 200 families have fled the area, with about 50 taking refuge in a makeshift “camp” about 40 km east of Hit. “We’re preparing to give support to these refugees,” said IRCS spokeswoman Ferdous al-Abadi. “When we confirm the situation, an aid convoy will leave Baghdad for the area.” Some residents complain of poor treatment from US and Iraqi troops. “They enter our houses ruthlessly, atrociously interrogating the men like they were criminals while keeping our women prisoner in the bathroom,” Hit resident Abu Kareem said of the Iraqi army. “It’s a violation of human rights,” he added. In the face of these complaints, the interior ministry has refused to elaborate on the comportment of Iraqi soldiers, stating only that they are working to guarantee the safety of Iraqis.