Iraqi army digs ‘anti-Daesh trench’ around Ramadi

By Suleiman al-Qubeisi

ANBAR, Iraq

The Iraqi army has begun to dig a trench around Ramadi to protect the western Iraqi city against infiltrations by Daesh terrorists, according to military officials.

“The purpose is to prevent terrorists, suicide bombers and car-bombs from infiltrating the city from desert,” Anbar Operations Commander Major-General Mahmoud al-Falahi told Anadolu Agency on Sunday.

He said the trench and berm structure will be 45 kilometers long around Ramadi, the provincial capital of Anbar province.

Daesh has hideouts in the vast desert of Anbar, from where they launch attacks against Iraqi forces in Ramadi.

Iraqi forces captured Ramadi from Daesh a year ago and are now struggling to retake Mosul, Iraq’s once second largest city, from the terrorist group.

Daesh has overrun vast swathes of territory in northern and western Iraq in 2014.