Iraq's war against IS terrorism | Updates and Discussions

[Alshawi1234]

Christians of the Nineveh plains join Shia militias. A unit of Assyrians from the Nineveh plains is being trained and armed in preparation to join the Nineveh plains forces alongside shabak and Turkmen forces who were forced out of their homes in Nineveh.

Shabaks of the Nineveh plains have began training almost immediately after fleeing IS in Nineveh. Many of them are now battling IS in Sallahidden province and will be transferred to Nineveh once the time is right. In this operation shabaki fighters repelled IS attack and advanced on IS territory, other video clips show graphic content which I unfortunately cannot upload.

The moment of breaking IS lines and entering Dhuluiyah before it's liberation. The battles lasted a few days and resulted in the liberation of dozens of towns and settlements and over 80KM of land. So far this operation held the largest casualties for IS, over 300 IS fighters killed in these operations.

RT report.

In other news Kuwait will gift Iraq 300 armored vehicles including Abrams tanks in the support of war against IS.

 

[Alshawi1234]

Some news from Nineveh.

Battles rage between the Jibour tribe backed by peshmerga against IS, IS kicked out of eastern Qayara district. This occurred after increasing conflicts between the Jibour and IS in different provinces including Sallahiddin, Kirkuk, and Nineveh.

IS started to target members if the Jibour tribe and has lately bombed the home of the head of Jibour in Mosul.

Meanwhile the iraqi forces finally managed to lift the siege of the Jibour of Dhuluiyah in southern Sallahidden. The siege and continues attacks cost 127 lives from the Jibour, and over 300 others executed or kidnapped. In the Alem district north of Sallahiddin, hundreds of houses belonging to the Jibour members were leveled to the ground.

Note that the Jibour. (Al jbara) are one of Iraq's largest tribes, majority of the Jibour in the north are Sunnis, but there are also minority Shia Jibour in the centre whom also sent fighters and support for the Jibour in the north.

 

[Winchester]

 

[Hussein]

Iraqis bicker over liberating Mosul - Al-Monitor: the Pulse of the Middle East

 

[Alshawi1234]

More info from Nineveh. Members from the Sabawi, lehaibi and Jiburi tribe joined together to drive IS out of their areas and managed to push them in eastern Qayara. A temporary alliance with the peshmerga as well.

Sunni fighters and politicians from Mosul refuse that Atheel Alnujaifi leads the battle, they also blamed Nujaifi and Maliki for giving their province to IS. The Iraqi Muslim brotherhood channel "al taghier" (Qatari sponsored and linked to Ali Hatim) broadcasting Propaganda against the popular mobilization forces and demand that only government and local forces and take part in the operations in Mosul. I personally think that's a good idea since the popular mobilization has already sacrificed enough and it's time for the people of the occupied areas to start fighting for their land.

 

[1000]

Australia, Iraq Discuss Training, Military Aid to Fight IS Group

Australian Prime Minister Tony Abbott, in an unannounced visit to Baghdad on Sunday, met with top officials, telling them his country is determined to provide support to Iraq in its fight against terrorism.

Abbott and Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi discussed bilateral military cooperation between the two countries, including the training and equipping of Iraqi soldiers, state television reported.

Abadi also asked Abbott to step up military aid to Baghdad in its fight against the Islamic State group.

In a statement released by Abadi’s office, he called on Australia to "increase the arming and speed up the training and distribution of what is needed by the Iraqi forces to decide the battle and eliminate the (IS) organization," the French news agency AFP reported.

 

[Alshawi1234]

IS arrests over 200 people In shirqat, near Hawijah and Karma near Falujah. The arrested are believed to be former police in shirqat, "Jaish almujahiden" terrorist members from the jumaili tribe in karma, and suspected anti-IS members who removed IS banners in two towns near Hawijah in Kirkuk province.

For far about 50 have been released, dozen have been executed while the rest are still being held.

No new major offensive as of yet but some low scale operations continue near Dur in Sallahidden and Anbar province.

IS in Sallahiddin has been evacuating the pro-IS families before Iraqi forces advance while keeping non-IS families in the areas to human shields. Many of these families were forced to walk for days through farmlands as most of the main roads were filled by IED's by IS.

Some videos of operations in the past two weeks. And promo videos.

Operations in Yathrib

militia helps evacuate Sunni civilians after IS trapped them and left them to meet an uncertain fate.

 

[1000]

حرس الحدود يحبط محاولة لـ(داعش) للهجوم على مخفر حدودي مع السعودية غرب الانبار

@al-Hasani does it say which side of the border the attack was on

 

[al-Hasani]

حرس الحدود يحبط محاولة لـ(داعش) للهجوم على مخفر حدودي مع السعودية غرب الانبار

@al-Hasani does it say which side of the border the attack was on

I did not get your notification.

It just says that Iraqi border guards managed to repel an attack by Daesh on a border station located next to the Saudi Arabian border. Anazh station on the Iraqi-Saudi Arabian border in Western Anbar. The attackers apparently came from Ar Rutba which is still in control of Daesh from what I recall.

Daesh has never used Saudi Arabia as a springboard into Iraq. The Saudi Arabian-Iraqi border is one of the best monitored borders out there. At least from the Saudi Arabian side. Infiltration from that side is next to impossible.

A few days ago 16 Iraqi border guards were killed on the Syrian border.

In other news it appears that ISOF together with pro-government Sunni Arab tribes have liberated 2 villages West of Ramadi and made progress around Ramadi.

I have not had the time to follow the major events in the past 1-2 weeks so got to update myself and find out what is nonsense and what is correct.

Media in the ME are famous for their inaccuracy but the news about Ramadi is correct. Also that many Daesh retards died due to coalition bombings. So all in all very good news lately in that area of Iraq.

 

[1000]

I did not get your notification.

It just says that Iraqi border guards managed to repel an attack by Daesh on a border station located next to the Saudi Arabian border. Anazh station on the Iraqi-Saudi Arabian border in Western Anbar. The attackers apparently came from Ar Rutba which is still in control of Daesh from what I recall.

Daesh has never used Saudi Arabia as a springboard into Iraq. The Saudi Arabian-Iraqi border is one of the best monitored borders out there. At least from the Saudi Arabian side. Infiltration from that side is next to impossible.

A few days ago 16 Iraqi border guards were killed on the Syrian border.

In other news it appears that ISOF together with pro-government Sunni Arab tribes have liberated 2 villages West of Ramadi and made progress around Ramadi.

I have not had the time to follow the major events in the past 1-2 weeks so got to update myself and find out what is nonsense and what is correct.

Media in the ME are famous for their inaccuracy but the news about Ramadi is correct. Also that many Daesh retards died due to coalition bombings. So all in all very good news lately in that area of Iraq.

I know the border is well protected but if the attack was on the border post itself, considering there are guards from both states at that post it would most likely result in both egnaging ISIS, but that depends on how large that border post it, no idea what it looks like.

Found it in English
Border Guards repel ISIS attack on border station between Iraq and Saudi Arabia - Iraqi News

Today, a force of the border guards was able to repel an ISIS attack on Anazh station on the Iraqi-Saudi border west of Ramadi,” noting that, “Elements ISIS attacked the station after they drove off from the Ratba city.”

The source added that, “Clashes continued for two consecutive hours,” adding that, “It resulted in the death of two ISIS elements and the injury of four others, while a border guard was killed and two others were wounded.”

2 hours is quite long, if it was on the border than it's strange if the soldiers on the other sides stood by watching, no one will know what happened in the empty desert unless reported to the media.

 

[al-Hasani]

I know the border is well protected but if the attack was on the border post itself, considering there are guards from both states at that post it would most likely result in both egnaging ISIS, but that depends on how large that border post it, no idea what it looks like.

Found it in English
Border Guards repel ISIS attack on border station between Iraq and Saudi Arabia - Iraqi News



2 hours is quite long, if it was on the border than it's strange if the soldiers on the other sides stood by watching, no one will know what happened in the empty desert unless reported to the media.

The border station that was attacked appears to be close to the border but not a border crossing. Also you must know that there are no current border crossings at all between KSA and Iraq. I mean no open roads. This has been the case since the First Gulf War. Unlike the situation with the Iraqi-Jordanian and Iraqi-Syrian borders.

Moreover KSA has built a highly secured border fence. From the border fence itself and towards KSA there is a no-mans land that is closely monitored electronically. It's a multi-layered fence.

So it is not like the Saudi Arabian and Iraqi border guards are looking at each other across the border fence. But I am sure that there is some sort of cooperation.

Also we are talking about a border that is 1000 km long.

​

The article in Arabic says 4 Daesh retards killed and 6 wounded. No mention of any Iraqi casualties. A third source is probably saying something else. Hard to know precisely what happened.

Is 2 hours really that long? I mean often such skirmishes can last several hours.

 

[1000]

The border station that was attacked appears to be close to the border but not a border crossing. Also you must know that there are no current border crossings at all between KSA and Iraq. I mean no open roads. This has been the case since the First Gulf War. Unlike the situation with the Iraqi-Jordanian and Iraqi-Syrian borders.

Moreover KSA has built a highly secured border fence. From the border fence itself and towards KSA there is a no-mans land that is closely monitored electronically. It's a multi-layered fence.

So it is not like the Saudi Arabian and Iraqi border guards are looking at each other across the border fence. But I am sure that there is some sort of cooperation.

Also we are talking about a border that is 1000 km long.

Didn't know that, thought they had opened 1 entry for the Makkah & Medina visitors, read that somewhere in 2013.

It's true that the most troubling border is Syria, if & when they regain control of that land they will most likely set up a similar project on the Syrian border.

Is 2 hours really that long? I mean often such skirmishes can last several hours.

Not really long but long enough for other forces in the nearby region to react, it can also be a quick hit & run attack as ISIS often carries out which is different, ofc they won't be making it too long giving a helicopter has enough time to arrive and take care of them, nowhere to hide in the open there.

Not sure who currently controls Nukhayb - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

 

[al-Hasani]

Anyway Iraq does not face any security threats from KSA, Kuwait, Iran, Turkey or Jordan currently.

All the main problems are to be found in Syria. Western Anbar is bordering 3 countries (KSA, Jordan and Syria - so border crossings connecting 4 countries in total) so if Daesh plans to expand this is a valuable area for them strategically. Now if there was a similar fence between Syria and Iraq Daesh would have nowhere to escape in case of increasing defeats in Anbar.

The problem is the Al-Jazira region between Syria and Iraq. Largely lawless and difficult to monitor due to the geography and size. Always has been like that. Before 2003 this area was famous for smuggling.

I do not understand why the coalition is not doing more to create stability in that crucial part of Iraq and Syria.

Well, it's largely impossible without ground troops so that answers the question.

One can only hope that both the Syrians and Iraqis on each sides of the border realize the need to revolt against Daesh. I am sure that almost all of them would had Al-Assad been removed at least in Syria.

Also many Sunni Arabs fear what will happen with them when Daesh gets defeated. I understand that as well.

Didn't know that, thought they had opened 1 entry for the Makkah & Medina visitors, read that somewhere in 2013.

It's true that the most troubling border is Syria, if & when they regain control of that land they will most likely set up a similar project on the Syrian border.


Not really long but long enough for other forces in the nearby region to react, it can also be a quick hit & run attack as ISIS often carries out which is different, ofc they won't be making it too long giving a helicopter has enough time to arrive and take care of them, nowhere to hide in the open there.

Not sure who currently controls Nukhayb - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Well there are roads in place connecting both KSA and Iraq just like oil pipelines. They are just permanently closed. After Saddam invaded Kuwait, KSA cut its ties with Iraq. After 2003 we know what happened. The Americans invaded and after they withdrew we saw the insurgency gaining pace until it culminated in the summer of 2013 and since then it has continued. So at no point was it secure enough for KSA to open those borders again. Besides relations with the two regimes were not great under Al-Maliki but they have improved greatly after Abadi became PM.

Yes, when it comes to pilgrims there have been Iraqi pilgrims that crossed into KSA by land (busses) through the Arar border crossing. Although this is a minority. Most travel by air. Nowadays I think that only travel through air is safe. There were around 30.000 Iraqi pilgrims for this years Hajj and none arrived by bus from what I know about. Too unsafe obviously.
Once people could freely travel between KSA and Iraq. Many people from Northern KSA and Southern KSA visited each other.

Although I must say that border crossings near Basra could very well be opened soon as South Iraq is relatively safe. Basrawis can for instance freely visit Kuwait and many visit. I think that they should open the borders but anyway people can use small Kuwait to reach each other if they want. But there is the visa question though.

Daesh controls Nukhayb along with Ar Rutba it seems. How big that control is I do not know. The locals do not want them there but they cannot do much. I mean if they can conquer the third biggest city in Iraq (Mosul) then they can easily conquer isolated Nukhayb and Ar Rutba. Especially Nukhayb is a small city. About 10.000 people or so.

@1000

 

[1000]

Although I must say that border crossings near Basra could very well be opened soon as South Iraq is relatively safe. Basrawis can for instance freely visit Kuwait and many visit. I think that they should open the borders but anyway people can use small Kuwait to reach each other if they want. But there is the visa question though.

Daesh controls Nukhayb along with Ar Rutba it seems. How big that control is I do not know. The locals do not want them there but they cannot do much. I mean if they can conquer the second biggest city in Iraq or third (Mosul) then they can easily conquer isolated Nukhayb and Ar Rutba.

As you know Anbar is mostly uninhabited and desert making it hard to control, the government forces mainly operate in cities and inhabited Euphrates region area. Closing the Syrian border with an extensive fence project as you have is definitely the first required to end their presence otherwise they simply keep coming. Then it's up to the locals ( sahwat previously, soon to be made national guard ) to play the most important role in getting rid of the, of course with the heavier firepower of the army and UAV recon, but without the fence and the locals it won't succeed. I'm sure Abadi and the new MoD who studied military science know this unlike the previous ones so we'll see as time goes by.

 

[al-Hasani]

As you know Anbar is mostly uninhabited and desert making it hard to control, the government forces mainly operate in cities and inhabited Euphrates region area. Closing the Syrian border with an extensive fence project as you have is definitely the first required to end their presence otherwise they simply keep coming. Then it's up to the locals ( sahwat previously, soon to be made national guard ) to play the most important role in getting rid of the, of course with the heavier firepower of the army and UAV recon, but without the fence and the locals it won't succeed. I'm sure Abadi and the new MoD who studied military science know this unlike the previous ones so we'll see as time goes by.

Well, the Anbar province makes up 1/3 of the territory of Iraq so it's a very big area to keep secure. On the other hand the population is 3 million big or so and most of the cities are located along the Euphrates river. From Al-Qaim to Fallujah. Ramadi and Fallujah are both located close to Baghdad moreover. It should not be that hard to control the province. Isolated cities such as Ar Rutba and Nukhayb have never caused any problems and could be regained fairly easily.

Anyway everything north of Baghdad has ISIS elements and strongholds. So Anbar is just part of the problem and not the problem itself.

Remember when I told you that Maliki was the wrong man and that his policies did more harm than good? Imagine if Abadi or just a competent leadership had ruled the country since 2005 instead. So many fields would be better off.