According to latest reports from Iraq, the officials have pleaded military help in the western Anbar province as they felt the area would be fall to Islamic State (IS) militants ‘in days’.
Already the militants have captured army bases and many areas in provincial capital Ramadi. The fights also continuing in Syrian border town of Kobane between IS fighters and Iraqi forces.
AFP news quoted a US official saying the situation in Anbar was “fragile”.
“They are being resupplied and they’re holding their own, but it’s tough and challenging,” he said.
Anbar is important base for Iraq and losing it to militants may cause severe effect in Iraq and Syria. If IS militants able to capture Anbar then it will have access to Iraq’s second-largest dam, the Haditha dam alongside it will have better access to attack Iraqi capital, Baghdad.
According to Iraq’s al-Sharqiyah TV, Anbar’s provincial officials’ have made request for US ground troops to help fight IS militants but the Iraqi government has repeatedly rejected any foreign ground troops in Iraq. Despite US air strikes, the IS militants are emerging strong and continued to advance.
(With inputs from BBC)
Tags: Anbar Iraq Iraq crisis ISIS Syria