IS camouflages as Iraqi army

ERBIL, Kurdistan Region (K24) – The Iraqi security forces in the newly-liberated Ramadi told K24 that the Islamic State (IS) insurgents wear the Iraqi army uniform to deceive and kill civilians. Thus, the Iraqi army uses loudspeakers to communicate with the trapped people and inform them of the trick.

Brigadier General, Omar Mohammed told K24, “Whenever our army tries to recapture a region, some families are stuck between our forces and the IS militants. IS uses the Iraqi army uniforms to gain people’s trust, assassinate them, and then claim that the security forces have killed civilians. We call for the families through loudspeakers to guide them."

During the final operation to liberate Ramadi, the Iraqi army released six hundred and fifty people from the IS siege in Sofia district, in the eastern side of the city. The anti-terror police, later on transported the families to Al-Tash region in Ramadi.

"We declare our phone numbers through loudspeakers so that the civilians can contact us with questions. We have transported some of the families to Anbar police to be taken to the peaceful areas," Mohammed added.

Sofiyan Eybah, a physician assistant told K24, "We help the saved families and disabled people by delivering them the first aids and providing the patients with essential healthcare."

The citizens saved from the terrorists’ rule are temporarily housed, registered and investigated for security reasons before being transported to a camp especial to Ramadi displaced people.

In late December, the Iraqi army retook Ramadi, the capital of Al-Anbar province, from IS insurgents and saved hundreds of people.

(Adnan Jaff from Al-Tash region contributed to this report.)