Iraqi army digs trench around Fallujah

BAGHDAD, July 23 (KUNA) -- The Iraqi army has started digging a trench around Fallujah to prevent militants from infiltrating into or out of the city after liberating it from the so-called Islamic State (IS) group.
In a statement to KUNA, Essa Al-Essawi, a Fallujah local authority official, stated that the trench was dug on the northern outskirts of the city.
It is about one meter deep and 1.5 meters wide and extends for about about five km or (three miles), he said.
He argued that the trench is meant to prevent IS militants from returning to the city after being expelled form it last month.
It is also meant to deprive IS militants from using the city as a launchpad for its bombing attacks against targets in the bordering Iraqi capital city of Baghdad, he added.
The Iraqi army has announced last month liberating Fallujah, which was seized by the IS militants in January 2014. (end) ahh.ibi