By NNN-KUNA,
Baghdad : The Iraqi government has said it will set up special areas to shelter locals who fled from Al-Sadr city in Baghdad fearing military confrontations.
Tahsin Sheikhali, spokesman of the Law Enforcement Plan, said the government would provide special places to shelter those fleeing the military operations taking place in Al-Sadr city.
“The government plans to establish special areas for use by people from Al-Sadr city who left their houses to live in more secured areas because of threats posed by outlawed gunmen on one side and the military operations taking place inside the city on the other,” he told a news conference Wednesday.
Sheikhali said Prime Minister Nouri Al-Maliki has instructed the delivery of oil products and food for the needy in Al-Sadr city, and the reopening of schools used by gunmen as launching pad for operations against government forces.
The Iraqi army, added the spokesman, delivered more than 50 trucks loaded with food to locals in Al-Sadr city.
Sheikhali said gunmen fired three rockets at a police station and a playground killing seven civilians and wounding 14 others Tuesday.
He said the Iraqi forces would defeat the gunmen in a “very short time,” but the government should also consider the lives of civilians who were used by the armed men as human shields.