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The Beatings Will Continue: Iraqi Edition
 ISIS Turbans debate surrender in Kiruk Kirkuk (IraqiNews.com) Splits are growing among foreign and local Islamic State members in Kirkuk over whether to surrender or stand up in face of Iraqi troops preparing to retake the group’s strongholds in the province. A local source told Alsumaria News that commands of the Islamic State’s so-calld “Kirkuk State” and “Diyala State’, stationed in the town of Hawija, have put their fighters on alert anticipating violent twists as controversies exacerbate over whether to surrender or fight the upcoming battle. According to the source, while foreign elements vote for fighting, local members largely back the surrender option. The Iraqi Joint Operations Command has recently declared the approach of operations to recapture IS strongholds in Kirkuk, most notably the town of Hawija which the militants held since 2014. Reports had told of reinforcements sent to the the town’s outskirts, but the exact date of the offensive is yet to be determined by the Iraqi command. On Monday, Jabbar al-maamouri, a leader at the Popular Mobilization forces in Kirkuk, said IS militants families had begun evacuating their residences in Hawija. The Iraqi Observatory for Human Rights predicts 85.000 civilians to flee the town as military offensives launch. Iraqi forces had so far recaptured Islamic State’s former capital in Iraq, Mosul, in July, and also retook Tal Afar, the group’s last holdout in Nineveh province, a week ago. ISIS could use 100K as human shields in Hawija Kirkuk (IraqiNews.com) Islamic State has been working on arrangements in Hawija, southwest of Kirkuk, ahead of anticipated military operations to free the town, a local source said. Speaking to Baghdad Today on Tuesday, the source said, “Hawija has 100,000 besieged civilians. The militant group could use them as human shields during the battle.” The group, according to the source, “will depend on anything as well as logistic and military measures to protect itself. This means the group will use civilians for protection.” The source urged the government to reconsider the civilians’ lives and provide them with safe passageways ahead of the battle. On Monday, four IS leaders, including deputy chief in charge of the militants affairs, were reportedly killed by residents, who were prompted by millions of airdropped messages by Iraqi jets over the past few days in Hawija. Hawija and other neighboring regions, west of Kirkuk, have been held by IS since mid-2014, when the group emerged to proclaim an Islamic “caliphate” in Iraq and Syria. The group executed dozens of civilians and security members there, forcing thousands to flee homes. Earlier this week, further reinforcements from the Federal Police were sent from Baghdad to the town, as the military command declared last week, the end of operations in Tal Afar, the militants’ last haven west of Nineveh, and the approach of the launch of offensives for Hawija. ISIS using pack animals for movement of supplies Kirkuk (IraqiNews.com) Islamic State militants have begun using donkeys as a new method for movements and smuggling money from Hawija, southwest of Kirkuk, to borders between Diyala and Salahuddin, a local source said on Tuesday. Speaking to Alghad Press on Tuesday, the source said, “IS militants in Hawija began using donkeys as method for movements to reach border regions that stretch out to Diyala and Salahuddin provinces including Hamreen mountains. “Several militants and leaders carrying bags full of smuggled money infiltrated from Hawija to the other regions using donkeys,” the source added. “They took advantage of the donkeys’ ability to move across mountainous areas without making sounds like cars or motorbikes.” “Available information shows that the leaders who sneaked from Hawija to borders between Diyala and Salahuddin with money in their possession over the past 48 hours exceed 12, using 11 donkeys,” the source added. 1K refugees arrive in Rutba Rutba (IraqiNews.com) More than 1,000 displaced civilians have arrived from western regions in Anbar province to Rutba town, according to chief of the town. Speaking to AlSumaria News, Sobhi al-Kubaisi said, “the local government in Rutba and security services received on Tuesday 1,200 civilians displaced from Annah, Rawa and Qaim towns in western Anbar.” “Aid was provided to the displaced. Identities of the males and youths were checked to prevent infiltration of IS militants to safe regions in Ramadi and areas in its vicinity,” Kubaisi added. Rutba is controlled by security troops, however, the town faces IS militants attacks every now and then that are being encountered by security. Tens of displaced civilians arrive daily from western regions to the town. Some have to pay for smugglers in order to flee IS militants. Anbar’s western towns of Anah, Qaim and Rawa are still held by the extremist group since 2014, when it occupied one third of Iraq to proclaim a self-styled Islamic Caliphate. Iraqi troops were able to return life back to normal in the biggest cities of Anbar including Fallujah, Ramadi and others after recapturing them. Fighter jets from the Iraqi army and the international coalition regularly pound IS locations in the province. In late July, a military source was quoted saying that Lt.Gen Abdul-Amir Yarallah, commander of the Nineveh Operations, ordered to besiege IS havens in western Anbar preparing to invade them. Posted by: badanov 2017-09-06 |
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