Kurdish special forces and Iraqi civilians embrace after decades of violence as they unite against ISIS militants while government troops parade in a show of strength
- Troops have rallied in Baghdad today in a show of strength against Islamist militants attacking the country's north
- ISIS rebels announced they have captured key strategic crossing point between Iraq and Syria
- It was also revealed that ISIS militants have executed three soldiers from the rebel army fighting in Syria
- In the north east of the country Kurds and Shiites have been pictured embracing after decades of violence
- Local Shiite Muslims have given Kurdish special forces a warm welcome after they helped to defend against ISIS
- Yesterday UN Secretary General has warned that possible US-led airstrikes against ISIS fighters could backfire
- So far U.S. President Barack Obama has held off granting a request for airstrikes from Iraqi government
- PM Nouri al-Maliki facing growing pressure to resign over claims he has alienated Iraq's Sunni minority
Thousands of Shiite militiamen have paraded through the streets of Baghdad and the southern Iraqi cities of Basra and Amarah armed with rifles and heavy weaponry in a display of strength against the bloodthirsty fanatics who have seized much of the country's north.
In Baghdad, about 20,000 men, many in combat gear, marched through the Sadr City district with assault rifles, machine guns, multiple rocket launchers and missiles.
Similar parades were held in the southern cities of Amarah and Basra, where troops proudly displayed field artillery pieces hauled by heavy trucks.
Meanwhile in the north east of the country, Kurdish special forces have received a warm welcome from Shiite locals after defending them against ISIS
The unlikely bond comes after decades of violence between the two peoples, including a gas attack in 1988 which killed 5,000 Kurds in Halabja
A member of Kurdish Peshmerga forces scans the area with the scope of his rifle as he holds a position overlooking Sunni militants led by the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant
The parades were staged by followers of cleric Muqtada al-Sadr and came after fighters from the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIS), and allied Sunni militants, captured a crossing on the Syria-Iraq border the day before.
The capture of the border outpost punches a hole in borders drawn by colonial powers almost a century ago, paving the way for the creation of an Islamic Caliphate from the Mediterranean Sea to Iran.
The militants first moved into the nearby town of al-Qaim on Friday, pushing out security forces, the sources said. Once border guards heard that al-Qaim had fallen, they left their posts and militants moved in.
Volunteers of the newly formed 'Peace Brigades' participate in a parade in the Shiite stronghold of Sadr City, Baghdad, in defiance of ISIS
Iraqi volunteer soldiers salute next to missiles in the Iraqi capital today during parades today as the government braces itself for a possible attack by ISIS
ISIS militants launched a surprise assault on Iraqi having built up their forces in Syria, and have since increased their firepower by looting arms off of fleeing troops
Shiite volunteers have been pouring into Baghdad in their thousands to oppose Sunni insurgents ISIS after watching them execute soldiers on television
Al-Qaim and its neighbouring Syrian counterpart Albukamal are on a strategic supply route. A three-year civil war in Syria has left most of the country's east in the hands of Sunni militants, including the Albukamal-Qaim crossing.
The Albukamal gate is run by al Qaeda's official Syria branch, the Nusra Front, which has clashed with ISIS but has also agreed to localised truces when it suits both sides.
The head of the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights monitoring group, Rami Abdulrahman, said ISIS has pushed the Nusra Front out from many areas of eastern Syria in the past few days and their capture of al-Qaim will allow them to quickly move to the Syrian side.
In Baghdad today soldiers supporting the Iraqi government have marched in a show of strength against ISIS militants who have seized most of the country's north
About 20,000 men armed with assault rifles, rocket launchers and machine guns marched through the city's Sadr City, as similar rallies took place in Basra and Amarah
Troops showed off missile launchers and heavy artillery to match the howitzers and rockets seized by ISIS rebels from fleeing troops in the north
On Friday ISIS seized control of the areas of Hafez and Muhassen in Deir Ezzor.
ISIS already controls territory around the Abukamal gate, effectively pinching the Nusra Front between its forces in Syria and those in neighbouring Iraq, said Abdulrahman, who tracks the violence.
Elsewhere it was reported that ISIS militant executed three officers of the Western and Arab-backed Free Syrian Army.
Holding rocket launchers, machine guns assault rifles and dressed in combat gear, these volunteer soldiers prepare to face off against ISIS
Bikers join processions of soldiers today in Baghdad in a show of strength against ISIS after the US backed away from launching airstrikes
While extremists have flooded from across the world to join ISIS, thousands of Shiite volunteers have joined to fight for the government
The bullet-riddled bodies of the three were found on Friday, two days after suspected Islamist militants kidnapped them in the oil-rich eastern province of Deir Ezzor, said the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights.
The FSA officers executed by the jihadists had been kidnapped in Hafez, the Britain-based Observatory said.
Yesterday the UN Secretary General ruled out possible airstrikes against ISIS fighters in Iraq, saying they could be ineffective and backfire.
Caught on the back foot, the Iraqi government has appealed to the US for airstrikes to weaken ISIS, a move which Barack Obama has so-far rejected
The rallies came as ISIS took control of a crossing between Syria and Iraq, potentially opening up a route to create an Islamic Caliphate from The Mediterranean Sea to Iran
Fighters also marched in support of Shi'ite cleric Moqtada al-Sadr as he rallies troops against the largely Sunni insurgents
As government supporters gathered in Iraq, it was announced that ISIS soldiers had executed three fighters for anti-government rebels in Syria
His comments came as it emerged around 300 Iraqi troops battling for control of the Bajji oil refinery are outnumbered and trapped in the facility.
The refinery is the country's largest, 62 miles north of Samarra and any lengthy outage risks long lines at the gas pump and electrical shortages.
According to ABC News, the militants have taken control of large parts of the refinery following a four day battle and are willing to keep the government forces inside the facility until they run out of ammunition.
Mehdi Army fighters loyal to Shi'ite cleric Moqtada al-Sadr march during a parade in Kerbala after Moqtada al-Sadr issued a call for unity, saying Shi'ites and Sunnis should rally behind the authorities
International leaders and Iraq's Shiite religious elite have called on the country to unite to face off the insurgent threat, with US Secretary of State John Kerry this weekend heading to the Middle East
Government forces are regrouping after a series of early losses in which troops fled ISIS militants without firing a single shot
A U.S. military source told them: 'There is very little the Iraqi government can do to save or liberate those guys.'
It is thought that there are around 270 Iraqi government forces inside the refinery, trying to hold off 300 to 500 ISIS fighters.
It had been reported that fighting at the refinery had reached a stalemate after a four day battle but witnesses have reported seeing black ISIS banners hanging from the compound.
U.S. President Barack Obama has offered up to 300 American troops to help coordinate the fight against the militants, who are on a drive towards the capital Baghdad but has so far held off granting a request for airstrikes from the Shi'ite-led government.
Government forces are trying to stage a comeback after troops in the north fled their posts, leaving their uniforms and weapons behind, when ISIS attacked
Iraq is deviding along sectarian lines as Shi'ite government forces battle a Sunni insurgency, and Kurdish troops seize back territory in the north east
Thousands of volunteers have joined so-called peace brigades in Baghdad and elsewhere after witnessing ISIS militants humiliating and executing troops and civilians
Announcing the despatch of advisers, the president said he was prepared to take 'targeted' military action later if deemed necessary, keeping open the prospect of air strikes to fend off a militant insurgency.
However Ban Ki-moon has urged the Iraqi government and its supporters not to retaliate against Sunni communities in revenge for 'barbaric attacks' by the al-Qaeda-inspired Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant.
Speaking at the Asia Society on Syria he said that military strikes might have little lasting effect or even be counter productive if there is no movement towards inclusive government in Iraq.
Calling sectarian warfare a disaster for all, he added: 'The Sunni extremists are trying to show that the governments in Baghdad, Iran and the United States are working together to support atrocities against Sunni communities.
Samarra has a major Shi'ite shrine at Al-Shoala and fighters have been preparing ready to protect holy sites
Shi'ite soldiers called the al-Salam brigade have been in training ready to protect Shi'ite holy sites and Christian churches in the Al-Shoala area
UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon has urged the Iraqi government and its supporters not to retaliate against Sunni communities in revenge for 'barbaric attacks'
Iraqi government forces were gathering ready to strike back against ISIS fighters who were heading towards the capital Baghdad but appear to be locked in a stalemate at the Baiji oil refinery
A pro-government fighter, left, with a picture of murdered Iraqi-Shia leader Mohammad Sadeq al-Sadr pinned to his chest. The militants' lightning pace has slowed in the area north of the capital, home to Sunnis but also to Shi'ites fearful of ISIS
Strategic target: Smoke rises from the Baiji oil refinery in northern Iraq which is at the centre of fierce fighting between government troops and ISIS militants. Rebel forces have raised the black jihadist banners and manned checkpoints around the facility despite government forces insisting they were in 'complete control' of plant
'This would help them mobilise support from the Sunni majority that does not share the extremist' agenda. It is essential that the government of Iraq and its supporters do everything possible to avoid falling into this trap.'
Today in the area around Samarra, on the main highway 60 miles north of Baghdad, which has become a frontline of the battle with ISIS, the provincial governor, a rare Sunni supporter of Iraq Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki, told cheering troops they would now force ISIS and its allies back.
A source close to the Mr Maliki said that the government planned to hit back now that is had halted the advance which saw ISIS seize the main northern city Mosul, and sweep down along the Sunni-populated Tigris Valley towards Baghdad.
Governor Abdullah al-Jibouri, whose provincial capital Tikrit was overrun last week, was shown on television on Friday telling soldiers in Ishaqi, just south of Samarra: 'Today we are coming in the direction of Tikrit, Sharqat and Nineveh.
Volunteers: Today swarms of Iraqi men descended on army buildings to offer their support in the fight against the Sunni militants
Re-enforcements: While ISIS regroup to continue their siege, Iraqi military officials are sizing up citizens to see if they can build a stronger army to step up their defence
Protest: This little boy clutching a toy gun joins demonstrations against the ongoing offensive by Arab Jihadists in northern and central Iraq
'These troops will not stop,' he added, saying government forces around Samarra numbered more than 50,000.
This week, the militants' lightning pace has slowed in the area north of the capital, home to Sunnis but also to Shi'ites fearful of ISIS, which views them as heretics to be wiped out.
Samarra has a major Shi'ite shrine in the Al-Shoala area and fighters have been preparing ready to protect the holy sites.
The participation of Shi'ite militias and tens of thousands of new Shi'ite army volunteers has allowed the Iraqi military to rebound after mass desertions by soldiers last week allowed ISIS to carve out territory where it aims to found an Islamic caliphate straddling the Iraqi-Syrian border.
Armed and dangerous: Al-Qaeda inspired militants stand with a captured Iraqi Army Humvee at a checkpoint belonging to Iraqi Army outside the Baiji refinery
On guard: A Sunni gunman stands at a checkpoint near the Baiji oil refinery. It remained unclear who was actually in control of the plant which accounts for almost a third of the country's refining capacity
'The strategy has been for the last few days to have a new defence line to stop the advance of ISIL,' a close ally of Maliki told Reuters.
'We succeeded in blunting the advance and now are trying to get back areas unnecessarily lost.'
Earlier today, Iraqi men descended on government and military buildings volunteering to fight against the Jihadists.
As the militant group re-evaluates its tactics, army officials spent all day sifting through paper work and medical assessments of the volunteers in a bid to build a stronger defence.
And thousands of Shiites joined 'peace brigades' to defend Iraq's holiest sites.
From above: Pictures from the skies above the Baiji area on Thursday showed dramatic billows of black smoke pouring from the complex
The Jihadis also launched a blitzkrieg hit on Twitter this morning, vowing to 'spread the truth' behind their brutal attacks that even Al Qaeda have condemned.
Using the hash tag #AllEyesOnIsis, extremist fighters flooded the social media site with propaganda, luring vulnerable people to join them in Iraq.
And within minutes, their stunt - which Twitter is powerless to block or moderate - was met with chilling messages of support from countries all over the globe - from Rome to Australia, Switzerland to America, Kenya to Nepal.
Meanwhile, diplomats at working to free various groups of citizens captured by ISIS as they make their way towards Baghdad.
Volunteers: Men in balaclavas march in the newly formed brigades near to the Imam Ali shrine
Force: Masked men in military uniform - some of which are holding flags - march following calls to protect holy shrines in the holy city
CENTURIES OLD DIVISIONS ARE FUELLING CURRENT IRAQ CONFLICT SAYS MIDDLE EAST EXPERT
Expert view: Andreas Krieg, a Middle East security analyst at King's College London in Qatar
A Middle East security analyst at King's College London in Qatar has told Mailonline a disintegration of Iraq and a division of the country might be the only way to solve the current turmoil in the country.
Andreas Kreig says the sectarian dynamics between Sunni, Shi'ite and Kurds, which are fuelling the current conflict, have existed for centuries.
And with the problem of managing these dynamics becoming increasingly difficult, Mr Kreig believes we will not see Iraq return to its pre-ISIS state with Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki as its head.
He explained: 'Thinking outside the box, in the long-term a disintegration of Iraq and a de jure division of the country might be a solution.
'A re-thinking of the borders that were drawn as part of the Sykes Picot Agreement might be a bold move but one that ultimately might solve the sectarian friction.
'Although the Shi’a population will continue to support him, Maliki has lost any support among most Sunni and Kurdish groups.
'Maliki has failed to create an inclusive governance system, which can provide socio-economic and physical security to all people in Iraq. So if Iraq was to continue to exist within its current borders, the system has to be reformed.'
Mr Kreig also believes that ISIS militants might find a more fierce resistance if they reach the south of the country.
He adds that one of the only ways to stop the group is to try and stop the local Sunni militias who are joining their cause.
He explained: 'Shi’as will put up a fierce fight to protect their oil-rich heartland in the South. Considering the number of Western oil companies operating there and the number of private security companies securing these facilities, it would be a fight that ISIS cannot win.
'Also, I think that an advance to the South would be crossing a red line for the West as well. ISIS will also not succeed in ever taking over Baghdad bearing in mind that the US and Iran will not let this happen.
'In order to stop ISIS, one has to target its current centres of gravity, which are arguably the local support of Sunni militias and the influx of foreign mujahedeen joining their cause.
'Particularly, winning over the Sunni militias and their social base will be crucial in undermining the momentum that ISIS has gained over the past week. US air strikes even with the support of ‘advisors’ are only cosmetic short-term solutions that might contain the spread of ISIS but will not defeat them.
'ISIS lack of popular support coupled with a withdrawal of the Sunni militia support will weaken ISIS tremendously. Identifying and supporting Sunni militias that might have joined the cause of ISIS not out of ideological but self-interested reasons is something that the Arab World has to do.'
Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2664395/Thousands-Shia-militiamen-parade-Baghdad-force-Isis-Islamists-seize-new-border-post.html#ixzz35ID6a3rx
Follow us: @MailOnline on Twitter | DailyMail on Facebook
No comments:
Post a Comment