ISIS to Use Civilians as Human Shields: Iraq Defence Ministry

ISIS is preventing civilians from leaving Ramadi ahead of an attack planned by the Iraqi army to retake the city.

Displaced civilians from Ramadi try to leave their homes after Iraq’s military command told them to leave the city. (Photo: AP)

Islamic State of Iraq & Syria militants are preventing civilians from leaving Ramadi ahead of an attack planned by the Iraqi army to retake the western city that the militants captured in May, an Iraqi Defence Ministry spokesman said on Monday.

There are some families that managed to escape the gangs of Daesh.

Naseer Nuri, Iraqi Defence Ministry Spokesman

“There is intelligence information from inside the city that they are preventing families from leaving; they plan to use them as human shields,” he added, without indicating the number of those who had managed to flee.

Iraqi military planes on Sunday dropped leaflets on Ramadi, asking residents to leave within 72 hours and indicating safe routes for their exit.

Iraqi intelligence estimates the number of ISIS fighters that are entrenched in the centre of Ramadi, the capital of Anbar province, at between 250 and 300.