The international coalition has distributed US-made weapons to tribesmen in Anbar province in preparation for their battle against the Islamic State, an Iraqi official has said.
“The international coalition has trained 500 fighters from the Anbar tribes and called them elite forces at the Habbaniyah military base, 30 kilometres east of Ramadi for a period of 30 days,” Ibrahim Fahdawi, the head of the security committee in Khalidiya district, told Turkey’s Anadolu news agency on Thursday.
Fahdawi added that “the international coalition distributed the US-made weapons during a graduation ceremony organised at Habbaniyah base on Thursday.”
According to Fahdawi, the weapons included “rifles, military uniforms, equipment and bullet- proof vests”.
“The elite forces will join the Iraqi security forces in their battle to retake the city of Ramadi from the Islamic State militant group and help return the displaced to their homes,” he added.
The international coalition did not issue an official statement about arming Anbar tribesmen until 12pm GMT.