The "Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant" (ISIL) is detaining more than 700 families in western Anbar to use them as human shields, as the battle to liberate the city of Rawa draws near, Anbar police chief Maj. Gen. Hadi Kassar Erzaij said Friday (December 2nd).
Preparations are under way for a "large-scale attack by the Iraqi army, police and tribesmen, with the support of international coalition warplanes, to liberate the city of Rawa", he told Diyaruna.
"ISIL is detaining more than 700 families in the city and plans to use them as human shields to impede the advance of Iraqi forces," he said.
However, there are plans to open safe corridors for the evacuation of civilians, he said, "and to start targeting the group's positions in co-operation with the international coalition through precision airstrikes".
