Daesh blows up gov’t buildings in western Iraq

By Suleiman al-Qubaisi and Ibrahim Salih

ANBAR, Iraq (AA) – Daesh terrorist group has detonated four governmental buildings in western Iraq, according to an Iraqi military officer.

Colonel Walid al-Delimi of the Anbar operations command said the buildings had been brought down by Daesh militants in Anah town, 190 kilometers west of Ramadi, the provincial capital of Anbar province.

“Daesh accused civilians of cooperating with security forces and sending information about Daesh locations and movements inside the town,” al-Delimi told Anadolu Agency on Saturday.

He said most families of Daesh militants have already escaped the town due to airstrikes by the U.S.-led coalition warplanes.

In a related development, eight civilians were killed and scores injured in a series of blasts in the capital Baghdad on Friday.

Though no group has claimed responsibility for the attacks, Iraqi authorities often blame Daesh for the violence.

Iraq’s security has markedly deteriorated since mid-2014 when Daesh captured the northern city of Mosul -- now the target of a massive army offensive -- and overran vast swathes of territory in the country’s north and west.