Iraq’s ground forces lose ground in fight against IS
9 July 2014 4:06 AM IST
Iraqi forces struggled to regain ground lost last month to jihadist-led militants and politicians remained divided on Monday despite mounting pressure to unite and agree on a new leadership.
Nearly a month after militants led by the group now calling itself the Islamic State (IS) swept through northern Iraq, plunging the country into one of its worst crises in years, the prospect of either a military or a political solution still looked distant.
Iraqi forces have regrouped after the debacle that saw some soldiers abandon their positions, weapons and uniforms as militants conquered Iraq’s second city of Mosul and advanced to within about 80 kilometres of the capital Baghdad. The government has received fighter jets from Russia and Iran, intelligence from Washington and enlisted the help of Shiite militias it once shunned or fought to strike back at the loose alliance of IS fighters, other jihadist groups and former Saddam Hussein loyalists who now control swathes of territory.
It has for more than a week attempted to wrest back the Sunni stronghold of Tikrit seized by IS fighters in their lightning onslaught last month but has so far failed to achieve a breakthrough.
According to analysts, a dearth of intelligence in Sunni areas -- due largely to distrust of the Shiite-led authorities among minority Sunni Arabs -- and a lack of combat experience have hamstrung Iraqi forces. ‘The army and the police are seen as sectarian... and therefore the Sunni community doesn’t provide support or, crucially, intelligence to the security forces,’ said John Drake, an analyst at the AKE Group security company.
‘If you don’t have good intelligence on the ground, your strikes are not precise, they involve collateral damage and casualties ... making everything worse,’ he added Drake. While most observers have argued that Baghdad was not about to fall, violence and suicide bombings have continued.
The latest struck a cafe in a predominantly-Shiite neighbourhood in western Baghdad yesterday, killing at least four people and wounding 12, according to security and medical officials.
An IS-linked Twitter account today posted a picture purported to be of the suicide bomber, apparently a Lebanese national, posing in front of the black Islamic flag before his operation, holding a sword and surrounded by assault rifles and rocket launchers. The authenticity of the image could not immediately be verified.
Despite omnipresent war propaganda in Iraqi media and tough talk from government and military officials, forces loyal to Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki are still looking for a major victory on the ground. The Islamic State appeared to be brimming with confidence however. A few days after declaring the restoration of the caliphate, nearly a century after the last one died with the Ottoman empire, the group’s leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi stepped out of the shadows to deliver a Friday sermon in Mosul’s largest mosque.
Iraqi parliament delays next session until August
Iraq’s deadlocked parliament on Monday postponed its next session until mid-August, prolonging the country’s political impasse despite urgent calls for a new government that can confront Sunni extremists who have overrun much of the country. The new legislature held its first session since April elections last week, but failed to make any headway on selecting new a new prime minister, president and other leaders.
Lawmakers were expected to meet again Tuesday for a second session, but called off that meeting since no progress was made over the past week untangling the political situation. The parliament said in a statement today that ‘after discussions with the heads of the blocs and concerned parties’ that the next session will be held instead on 12 August. It expressed hope that ‘another chance will be available for more dialogue and discussions to arrange that meeting.’
Nearly a month after militants led by the group now calling itself the Islamic State (IS) swept through northern Iraq, plunging the country into one of its worst crises in years, the prospect of either a military or a political solution still looked distant.
Iraqi forces have regrouped after the debacle that saw some soldiers abandon their positions, weapons and uniforms as militants conquered Iraq’s second city of Mosul and advanced to within about 80 kilometres of the capital Baghdad. The government has received fighter jets from Russia and Iran, intelligence from Washington and enlisted the help of Shiite militias it once shunned or fought to strike back at the loose alliance of IS fighters, other jihadist groups and former Saddam Hussein loyalists who now control swathes of territory.
It has for more than a week attempted to wrest back the Sunni stronghold of Tikrit seized by IS fighters in their lightning onslaught last month but has so far failed to achieve a breakthrough.
According to analysts, a dearth of intelligence in Sunni areas -- due largely to distrust of the Shiite-led authorities among minority Sunni Arabs -- and a lack of combat experience have hamstrung Iraqi forces. ‘The army and the police are seen as sectarian... and therefore the Sunni community doesn’t provide support or, crucially, intelligence to the security forces,’ said John Drake, an analyst at the AKE Group security company.
‘If you don’t have good intelligence on the ground, your strikes are not precise, they involve collateral damage and casualties ... making everything worse,’ he added Drake. While most observers have argued that Baghdad was not about to fall, violence and suicide bombings have continued.
The latest struck a cafe in a predominantly-Shiite neighbourhood in western Baghdad yesterday, killing at least four people and wounding 12, according to security and medical officials.
An IS-linked Twitter account today posted a picture purported to be of the suicide bomber, apparently a Lebanese national, posing in front of the black Islamic flag before his operation, holding a sword and surrounded by assault rifles and rocket launchers. The authenticity of the image could not immediately be verified.
Despite omnipresent war propaganda in Iraqi media and tough talk from government and military officials, forces loyal to Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki are still looking for a major victory on the ground. The Islamic State appeared to be brimming with confidence however. A few days after declaring the restoration of the caliphate, nearly a century after the last one died with the Ottoman empire, the group’s leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi stepped out of the shadows to deliver a Friday sermon in Mosul’s largest mosque.
Iraqi parliament delays next session until August
Iraq’s deadlocked parliament on Monday postponed its next session until mid-August, prolonging the country’s political impasse despite urgent calls for a new government that can confront Sunni extremists who have overrun much of the country. The new legislature held its first session since April elections last week, but failed to make any headway on selecting new a new prime minister, president and other leaders.
Lawmakers were expected to meet again Tuesday for a second session, but called off that meeting since no progress was made over the past week untangling the political situation. The parliament said in a statement today that ‘after discussions with the heads of the blocs and concerned parties’ that the next session will be held instead on 12 August. It expressed hope that ‘another chance will be available for more dialogue and discussions to arrange that meeting.’
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