The removal of concrete barriers and blocks from five major neighbourhoods in the heart of Iraq's capital Baghdad has begun due to improved security in the area, the Iraqi Defence Ministry announced Saturday (April 14th).

More than 10,000 three-meter-high and two-meter-wide concrete blocks will be removed from the neighbourhoods of Mansour, Sidiya, Khadra, Jamaa and Jadria, Col. Walid Hussein, director of civil affairs at the Baghdad military operations command, told Al-Shorfa.

The barriers were installed at the time of security deterioration in 2006 to curb attacks by terrorists and death squads and are no longer needed since security forces took control in these areas, he said.

The aim is to help citizens move without obstacles and to alleviate daily traffic congestion, Hussein said. The operation is anticipated to be completed within one week, he said.