Armed groups on rise in Anbar
The Anbar crisis is escalating to the point where people have lost their faith and trust in the army and government as sectarian fighting intensifies.
The escalation of the Anbar crisis, including both the developments on the ground and the political repercussions, has resulted in some Iraqis adopting a hostile position toward the state and its institutions, creating a tribal and sectarian bias among the citizens.
The clashes between the government forces and the armed groups in the desert and cities of Anbar have had adverse social and economic effects on the troubled province since the beginning of 2013.
Cities such as Fallujah and Ramadi have seen massive displacement of people, given the indiscriminate shelling of houses, while most of the infrastructure recently built by local authorities has been destroyed. Food prices skyrocketed as food supplies have become scarce in the market due to the siege on cities. Vital governmental institutions stopped operation, schools are disrupted and students failed to take the mid-term exams.
Meanwhile, armed groups moved their activities inside the cities. Their military operations and their leaders’ rhetoric promoted the groups’ presence inside the province. New recruits joined the ranks of the armed groups, mostly young men in their 20s.
