IRAQ - Fight on Islamic State: News #2

Interesting video demonstrating why it is so hard to see and stop SVBIED when first entering an urban environment. They can come out of no where. Also demonstrates that SVBIEDs are actually not as damaging to military equipment as they appear to be in ISIS videos. Humvee was very close to the explosion, but seems to sustain no damage. The tank was likely suffered no damage based on how the humvee fared.

https://twitter.com/twitter/statuses/913375270735896576

iraqi forces have liberated hawija city (pop 100,000). IN addition over 90% of the district and hundreds of villages have been liberated in the 12 day campaign.

most ISIS and sympathisers who didn't die fled... surprise surprise to the Kurdish/Peshmarga to surrender.

sheytanelkebir wrote:iraqi forces have liberated hawija city (pop 100,000). IN addition over 90% of the district and hundreds of villages have been liberated in the 12 day campaign.

Impressive

most ISIS and sympathisers who didn't die fled... surprise surprise to the Kurdish/Peshmarga to surrender.

I guess that's where their handlers are

President of #France, Emmanuel #Macron: 'I call on Iraq to dismantle the Hashd/PMU as soon as possible'
.
.
.
Iraq/i PM Haidar al Abadi calls on France to dismantle the French National Guard ( La Garde nationale)
https://twitter.com/Brasco_Aad/status/937097663836762114

Iraq has been removed from the UN's Chapter 7 on the 8th of december 2017.

after sanctions lasting 27 years.


https://www.un.org/press/en/2017/sc13109.doc.htm

https://edition.cnn.com/2018/01/27/middleeast/iraq-police-killed-coalition-operation/index.html


It seems to have been a genuine mistake because the "national" force that attacked the terrorist leader didn't inform the "local" police / army... who then attacked them and called in an airstrike.

Seems to have been badly coordinated by the local troops. I am guessing the reason for that is that the "national" police / anti terrorist force didn't want to let the local police know of their operation because they suspect moles in the local police would have tipped off the suspect.

WASHINGTON (Sputnik) - The Arctic Wolves of the 1st Stryker Brigade Combat Team will be deployed to Iraq this summer in support of Operation Inherent Resolve, the US Army announced in a press release.

https://sputniknews.com/military/201903301073676689-usa-iraq-army-combat-team-deployment/

Russian-made ORSIS T-5000 sniper rifle in the hands of IG [Islamic State].

Weapons were officially supplied to the Iraqi security forces under a joint contract.



https://bmpd.livejournal.com/3919234.html

US forces handover K-1 military base to Iraqi Army

The international coalition forces, tasked with fighting the Islamic State (IS) militant group, withdrew on Sunday from the K1 military base in Iraq’s northern province of Kirkuk.

“The Iraqi forces took over the K1 base from the international coalition forces in the presence of the representative of the commander-in-chief of the Iraqi forces and other military commanders in the province,” an Iraqi army officer told Xinhua on condition of anonymity.

“The international coalition forces had departed the base and the K1 base now is under full control of the Iraqi forces,” the office said.

On the other side, a U.S.-led coalition spokesman said in a tweet that the troops departed the compound inside K1 airbase in coordination with the Iraqi government, asserting that the coalition troops will support Iraq from fewer places with fewer troops.

The military base is the third that Iraq has received from the international coalition forces in March after the coalition forces withdrew from the military bases of al-Qaim in western Iraq and al-Qayyara in northern the country.

On Jan. 5, the Iraqi parliament passed a resolution requiring the government to end the presence of foreign forces in Iraq, just two days after a U.S. drone strike on a convoy at Baghdad airport, which killed Qassem Soleimani, former commander of the Quds Force of Iran’s Revolution Guards Corps.

Over 5,000 U.S. troops have been deployed in Iraq to support Iraqi forces in battles against the IS, mainly for training and advisory purposes.

The troops were part of the U.S.-led international coalition that has also been conducting air raids against IS targets in both Iraq and Syria.

https://www.almasdarnews.com/article/us-forces-handover-k-1-military-base-to-iraqi-army/

Iraqi forces launch new military operation in northeast province

BEIRUT, LEBANON (12:30 P.M.) – The Popular Mobilization Units (Hashd Al-Sha’abi) announced on Friday a new military operation to hunt down the remnants of the Islamic State (ISIS/ISIL/IS/Daesh) in the northeastern province of Diyala,.

Citing a statement from the Popular Mobilization Units, Al-Sumaria TV reported that their forces targeted the Islamic State’s positions in Khanna, south of Khanaqin, in the eastern countryside of the Diyala Governorate.

The statement added that “the operation aims to eliminate the remnants of ISIS in that region and fully secure the area.”

In December 2017, Iraq announced the liberation of its entire territory from the grip of the Islamic State after three and a half years of war with the terrorist organization.

At one point, the Islamic State had occupied about a third of the country, declaring the establishment of what they called the ‘caliph’.

Since the Islamic State’s defeat, however, their sleeper cells continue to wreak havoc in some parts of Iraq.

In response, the Iraqi Armed Forces have carried out several operations across Iraq to eliminate the last remnants of the terrorist group.

https://www.almasdarnews.com/article/iraqi-forces-launch-new-military-operation-in-northeast-province/

George1 wrote:Russian-made ORSIS T-5000 sniper rifle in the hands of  IG [Islamic State].

Weapons were officially supplied to the Iraqi security forces under a joint contract.



https://bmpd.livejournal.com/3919234.html

Many Iraqi army soldiers join ISIS. Sometimes they bring their equipment with them.

The Iraqi Rapid Response Squad announced on Sunday, the arrest of the logistical support official in the Islamic State terror organization.

https://www.almasdarnews.com/article/iraqi-forces-arrest-isis-logistical-mastermind/

Iraqi airborne operation wipes out ISIS hideouts along Syrian border

BEIRUT, LEBANON (11:00 P.M.) – The Iraqi Military Intelligence and their airborne forces carried out a military operation in the desert of the Al-Anbar Governorate on Friday.

In a statement, the Iraqi Military Intelligence stated: “With a qualitative operation carried out through a joint airborne force consisting of the Intelligence and Reconnaissance Regiment in the leadership of the First Division and a force from a Commando Regiment, terrorist dens were attacked in the areas of ​​Al-Husayniyat and Dagdaghah, northeast of the Rutbah District of the Al-Anbar Province.”

The statement added: “One of our fighters was able to kill a suicide bomber before detonating himself on the raiding force, and the same force was able to burn a Nissan van, carrying rockets, ammunition, chasing a fuel tanker vehicle, burning it, and injuring its driver, and tents for terrorists were also burned.”

The Iraqi Armed Forces have recently stepped up their operations against the Islamic State (ISIS/ISIL/IS/Daesh) in response to several attacks launched by the terrorist entity in several parts of the country.

https://www.almasdarnews.com/article/iraqi-airborne-operation-wipes-out-isis-hideouts-along-syrian-border/

The Iraqi Intelligence Service announced that the person nominated to succeed the terrorist leader and founder of the Islamic State (ISIS/ISIL/IS/Daesh), Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, has been handed over to them.

https://www.almasdarnews.com/article/iraqi-forces-arrest-isis-leader-nominated-to-replace-baghdadi/

https://en.mehrnews.com/news/159883/Hashd-al-Sha-abi-mounts-operation-against-ISIL-in-S-Iraq

An instrument to expel the malign influence of Rats and Rat masters. As long as there are Rat masters with big Boats, then they will transport the Rats, anywhere they want. From Syria to Libya or Iraq. If the Rats are to be eradicated, then the Rat masters must stop offering support.

The US support for Rats in Syria and Iraq is well known. But how to stop this support? I have struggled with this question. And identified three possible pressure points against US support for the Rats. These are diplomatic and economic and military. I quickly rejected the diplomatic. Since even the US needs open chanel of communication. And removing an Embassy, will not stop US support for Rats.

Then came the military option. And putting pressure on bases and making life difficult for troops, may seem to be one way of doing this. But unless casualties mount to a high point, as it did before. Then the US will not feel pressured. And it will retaliate also. A favourite of armchair Generals and military contractors. More money for them. They will welcome this low level war, over there, costing GI lives, Iraqi lives, no problem for them. They will not withdraw support for Rats.

Then there was economic option. I admit I am a little confused over this. Is it better to leave the economic option alone, hoping that the economic lobby in US will pressure the politicians into stopping support for Rats?  But why should they want to, if their operations not affected. Even if they had the political clout to pressure the politicians. Or is it better to pressure the economic sector to leave Iraq altogether? But in this case they have lost all. They will either move on to new markets or worse pressure the politicians into greater interventionism in Iraq and support for the Rats?  Or is the better option, to allow an economic opening for some. While putting pressure on these, to an extent, where they feel their operations and investment in danger. So as to compel them to lobby politicians to stop support for the Rats in Iraq ? And never ending war and sanctions ? In the final analysis, the last option may be the best. But if this fails, then pushing the US out completely is the best option. What you think?

There is always the opportunity to sew false information amongst the rat population and when rats start turning their guns on Americans that might effect their eagerness to play with rats...