Water Cut Leaves Thousands of Families Without Drinking Water in Anbar Province

ANBAR, Iraq — Families from the Kirthan tribe living in the Al-Buheri area of Anbar province have been without drinking water for two days, according to local residents who issued an urgent appeal to the governor and provincial council members on Friday. Thousands of families, particularly children and elderly residents, are struggling to meet their basic water needs, the residents said. Areas around the Al-Mehayyiz road have been among the most severely affected, with residents calling on officials to restart water pumps as quickly as possible. Separately, security and service units in Kaim district, western Anbar, have gone on high alert due to rising water levels in the Euphrates River following a large water release from the Tabqa Dam in Syria. Syrian officials have said they are managing increased water levels in Deir ez-Zor and Raqqa provinces, adding that protecting civilians remained their top priority.