Iraqi Front of the Middle East War

40

Gradually, the fighting in Iraq is beginning to acquire a fairly wide scope. The events in Iraq are in the shadow of the war in Syria, but the last news show that the country after the American occupation has not recovered and is still on the verge of collapse. Iraq faces several problems at once, each of which threatens with the destruction of the state. First, this is the problem of Iraqi Kurdistan. Secondly, the conflict between Shiites and Sunnis. Third, strengthening the position of the Islamists, who allow themselves to seize entire cities and districts of the country, announce the creation of independent emirates. Fourth, the central government has become so weak that it cannot suppress the Islamists, militants of various groups and territorial entities. The army and police could not recover after the destruction of Saddam Hussein’s regime. Convulsive attempts by Baghdad to restore the armed forces through multibillion-dollar contracts with the United States, the countries of the European Union and Russia cannot solve the problem of the combat capability of the army and security forces. Armed forces are demoralized, mass desertion is their scourge.

The media reported the loss of the cities of Fallujah and Ramadi by the Iraqi authorities. The fighting for Fallujah began at the end of 2013. It is a large city with a population of about 300 thousand people. The Islamists moved reinforcements from Syria. And it is just fights, not clashes. Only a week of fighting, both sides lost to 500 killed and wounded. Militants have heavy weapons and harness government armored vehicles. The authorities use the air force. The first use of Mi-35 helicopters received from Russia in the anti-terrorist operation in the Anbar province in the west of the country has been announced. It is possible that the Night Hunter Mi-28НЭ Mi-XNUMXНЭ helicopters will take part in the battles. In addition, on the side of the central authorities were the militias of Sunni tribes who do not want to give up power in the territory that they consider their own, the Islamists. Earlier, the Sunnis themselves opposed the government security forces. Now they have decided to act according to the principle “the enemy of my enemy is my friend.”

According to the UN, 2013 year was the bloodiest for Iraq in the last five years. The new year, apparently, will be no less cruel for this resource-rich, but unhappy country. Over the year, 2013 people died in 8868, the vast majority of them - 7818 - civilians. The country has long been swept by a wave of terrorist acts, and now Iraq can become a zone of active hostilities.

The last month of Iraq has become especially bloody - even against the background of previous events. The country is simply overwhelmed with bloody madness. At the end of November 2013, dozens of people became victims of terrorist attacks, abductions and mass executions. Most people died as a result of the conflict between the largest Islamic communities in Iraq - Sunnis and Shiites. During the rule of Saddam Hussein, the Sunnis occupied leading positions in the state. After the American military intervention, the Sunnis were pressed down by the Shiites. They occupied a number of important government positions, including the most important post - the Prime Minister.

On December 3, gunmen attacked the city hall of Tarmia. The bomber blew up the doors, then gangsters broke into the state institution and killed about 20 people, as many more were injured. December 5 came the news of the seizure of a shopping center in Kirkuk by militants. The terrorists conducted a whole combat operation. At first they attacked the police station, exploding mined cars. Another group seized the five-story building of a shopping center. Employees and visitors were taken hostage. Dozens of people were injured.

Then, almost every day, news came about the abduction and murder of people, terrorist acts, explosions and clashes. 8 December Islamists killed nine people in Baghdad who intended to buy alcohol. At the same time, a series of terrorist attacks took place: in the Iraqi capital and its environs, the terrorists launched nine explosive devices. Most terrorists used cars filled with explosives. More than 30 people died, about 100 injured. December 10 new large-scale terrorist attack - an explosion thundered at a funeral in central Iraq, in the province of Diyala. About 10 people died, about 20 injured.

Islamic radicals launched an offensive in several Iraqi provinces at once, trying to take control of them. In the occupied territories, they create camps for training militants. The radical Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant movement sees its immediate goal in the creation of an Islamic state on the territory of Syria and Iraq. In the future, the territory cleaned up from the authorities of Syria and Iraq will be merged into one Sunni state entity. It was this movement that claimed responsibility for almost all the terrorist acts that were carried out in 2013 in Iraq. Jihadists also solve the tactical task of creating border corridors, with the help of which it will be possible to supply gangs in Syria. Thousands and even tens of thousands of militants need weapon, ammunition, ammunition, fuel, food and medicine. In fact, Syria already has a whole army of Islamists, for which a developed rear infrastructure is needed. Militants in Iraq and solve the problem of creating a rear base and its expansion.

13 December came the news of the killing of 18 oilmen in the vicinity of the city of Balad-Ruz. 15 December bandits killed a high-ranking government official and his family in the city of Sadia. On the same day, a new series of terrorist attacks took place in Baghdad and its suburbs - the 4 explosion. About 10 people killed, about 30 injured. 16 December new terrorist attack - two people killed, four more were injured. The bomber blew up a car filled with explosives in the center of Baghdad. On the same day, the Islamists launched a series of attacks. The militants attacked the police department and a prison in the Iraqi city of Beiji, north of Baghdad. The shootout lasted several hours. Killed several security officials. Additional security forces had to be moved from the capital. According to the press, dozens of prisoners escaped, including particularly dangerous jihadist criminals. At the same time, the militants attacked the municipality in the city of Tikrit. In the city of Mosul, gunmen bombarded a minibus with local residents. Killed 12 people.

19 December came the news that more than 40 people had become victims of a series of terrorist attacks in Iraq. The bomber exploded in one of the tents in the south of Baghdad, killing 20 Shiite pilgrims who were heading to the city of Karbala, is considered among the Shiite Muslims to be one of the sacred. Two explosions occurred in the cities of Yusifiyya and El-Latifia. They took the lives of another 16 man; about 40 a man was injured. In the city of Abu Ghraib, the family of a man who joined against al-Qaida was shot. December 21 new attack - in the cities of Tuz-Khurmatu and al-Huweija. Killed 18 people, 24 injured. At the same time, the militants attacked the military in the west of Iraq, in Anbar province. Killed about 15 people. And these are only the most well-known incidents, smaller ones are not considered.

23 December The Iraqi army launched a large-scale anti-terrorist operation against the Islamists in the Anbar province bordering Syria. Baghdad tried to regain control of the territory. To the operation attracted large army units using the Air Force. Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki set the task to destroy the terrorist bases in the Western Desert within a week. The military planned to intercept the roads along which militants move between Syria and Iraq. The military were able to destroy several terrorist camps. The Air Force struck a series of blows at them. However, to achieve decisive success could not.

The militants responded with a new series of bloody attacks. Several terrorists seized the office of Salaheddin in Tikrit. The attack developed according to a fairly standard scenario: the explosion of a mined car at the entrance, the storming of a building. During the seizure, five journalists were killed, five more were injured. All the militants died: two blew themselves up, two more were killed by the security forces. December 25 in the south of the Iraqi capital, militants attacked Christians. A car was blown up near a Christian church in the southern district of Ed Dora, after completing the festive Christmas service. Later two more explosions thundered. 34 people died, more than 50 injured.

December 28 started a conflict between Sunnis and Shiites. He was provoked by the arrest of a Sunni parliamentarian Ahmed al-Alwani in the city of Ramadi and the dispersal of a Sunni permanent tent camp protesting inequality with Shiites. An attempt to arrest a deputy who is suspected of supporting anti-government protests resulted in a clash of security forces and his guards. Five guards of the deputy were killed, as well as his brother, and several al-Alvani associates were injured. About a dozen officers of special services were also injured.

At the same time, the military tried to demolish the Sunni protest camp. The authorities accuse the Sunni leaders of terrorism and disobedience to the country's legitimate elected authorities. According to Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki, "unrest in Sunni cities is used to their advantage by al Qaeda leaders." The offensive of the military was reflected by small arms fire. In response, the Sunni spiritual leaders in Ramadi called on the city’s residents to enter a “holy war” against the Shiite-controlled government. Sunnis destroyed several armored vehicles, dozens of people were injured. A group of 44 Sunni MPs of the Iraqi Parliament announced its resignation in protest against the actions of the authorities. In the Sunni city of Faluja, mass protests began.

Iraq was on the verge of a massive Shiite-Sunni clash. The leaders of some Sunni tribes brought their armed units on high alert and expressed willingness to begin hostilities against government security forces. And all this against the backdrop of the opposition of the army with the Islamists. It was not until the beginning of 2014 that the Council of Elders of Fallujah decided to stop the fighting of the Sunni militia against the security forces. This was due to the fact that the Iraqi military did not succeed in the fight against the Islamists. The Islamic State of Iraq and Levant movement received reinforcements from Syria and captured half of the city of Fallujah. Militants also captured part of the city of Ramadi. The Sunni militias were forced to reorient themselves to the struggle with the more serious enemy of this moment - the Islamists.

In addition, the militants struck new blows at Iraq’s population and infrastructure. A suicide bomber blew up a car in the city of Balad-Ruz. Killed 16 people, more than 30 injured. Also, terrorists undermined the Kirkuk-Ceyhan pipeline. 5 January came the news of a series of terrorist attacks in Baghdad. At least 14 people were killed, and 25 were injured.

The authorities announced the preparation of a large-scale operation to liberate Fallujah. Currently, the Iraqi military, with the support of Sunni self-defense units, are fighting for the cities of Fallujah and Ramadi. US Secretary of State John Kerry, who is visiting Israel, said that Washington would support Baghdad in the fight against militants, but without military intervention. The United States promised to provide Iraq with precision-guided AGM-114 Hellfire missiles and 10 reconnaissance drones ScanEagle. With the help of air-to-ground missiles, the Iraqi military strikes at militant camps. The Iraqi military receives data on their location from the CIA. By the end of 2014, Baghdad will receive 48 Raven reconnaissance UAVs, and in 2015, deliveries of F-16 fighters will begin. True, it is doubtful that air strikes on Islamist camps and the supply of weapons will solve Iraq's problems. The United States has been systematically bombing militant camps in Afghanistan and Pakistan for years, but to no avail. Given the regular mistakes and mass deaths of civilians, hatred for the Westerners only increases.

Thus, Iraq, which has long remained in the shadow of the Syrian war, is gradually becoming part of the “united front” of the Middle East conflict. The Islamists are so strong that they can afford to confront the Iraqi army and seize large cities and regions. Official Baghdad, weakened by the consequences of the American occupation, the opposition of Shiites and Sunnis, the independence of the Kurds, cannot solve the problems facing the country and asks for help from the world community. Apparently, in the future we will see not a stabilization of the situation, but only its escalation.
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  1. makarov
    +16
    9 January 2014 09: 22
    It is impossible to consider the regime of the assassinated Hussein as righteous and popularly elected, but it must be admitted that he did not allow such rampant terrorism and murders that are taking place in Iraq now. Whoever is directly and indirectly guilty of everything that happens, not wanting to be held accountable, and turning the arrows to "terrorists", I think everyone who thinks knows, - Matrasostan.
    1. +5
      9 January 2014 09: 33
      Quote: makarov
      It is impossible to consider the regime of the murdered Hussein as righteous and popularly elected, but it must be admitted that he did not allow such a rampant terrorism and the murders that are happening in Iraq now.


      How can you support a dictator !!!! (sarcasm). He had thousands of tons of poison were hidden in the corners, so much so that they still cannot be found!
      For reference, gasoline in Iraq costs 1 dollars.
      1. Gennady1973
        +4
        9 January 2014 15: 20
        I agree! Not a single country has "blossomed" after the stars and stripes ....
        1. mnn_13
          +4
          9 January 2014 23: 31
          I agree with you, but the most important thing in this situation will be to find out the role of Saudi Arabia in Iraq in Syria and elsewhere. In my opinion, she is now the main sponsor and broker of terrorism in this and not only this region. I am convinced that this is connected with the occurring acts of terror in Volgograd and the Saudis.
          The colonel urgently needs to think what they are doing. If you want ograts such a war, you need to find ways to bring combat to the territory of the enemy. The Second World War was nevertheless won out not in Stalnigrad but in Berlin.
      2. Gennady1973
        +1
        9 January 2014 15: 20
        I agree! Not a single country has "blossomed" after the stars and stripes ....
    2. +3
      9 January 2014 10: 04
      There regularly Shiites rebelled, then just separate tribes. He just crushed them quickly and that’s it. Plus, local gebnya was ahead of the curve.

      Today they have given us capital armor (the same Syria, although Iraq did not sit idly by, but sent Shiite volunteers to Syria on the side of Assad, while arming and supplying them, in the pictures they are always highlighted by new PKM, which Iraq itself began to receive in 2011 year ), and then created the catalyst, turning on Saddamka when it is too late to turn it on.

      So far, they managed to localize the rebels and surround them. But the attempts of cavalry raids 4,6 and 7 numbers failed with losses.
    3. +3
      9 January 2014 10: 25
      The Americans jumped, made a snake’s nest, ten years ago in Syria, Libya, Iraq there were secular states from which they even knew what to expect, and now they are a solid nursery of Islamic terrorists who threaten their puppet governments (Iraq, Libya) It’s interesting according to the boomerang law ?
      1. +5
        9 January 2014 10: 56
        Why jumped, it was the main goal, why Israel strong neighbors? USAzh does not last forever, you need to think about the future.
        1. +1
          9 January 2014 11: 18
          Quote: Wellych
          Wellych
          I’m just curious, but they didn’t think that someday they themselves would become a target for their pets?
          1. 0
            10 January 2014 08: 15
            I’m just curious, but they didn’t think that someday they themselves would become a target for their pets?

            If anyone becomes a target, then ordinary citizens, and not entertainers at all.
    4. AVV
      +2
      9 January 2014 15: 31
      And the USA is guilty of all this, with their doctrine of controlled chaos !!! And then they are also surprised why no one loves them in the world !!!
    5. +3
      9 January 2014 18: 21
      I don’t want to feel sorry for the Iraqis somehow. They thought that the Americans would bring them Coca-Cola, a lot of tanks, and to every poor man three women for a night. And Hussein is a dictator. Hand over Hussein and live !!! Well, actually, they healed. They themselves surrendered their country, having the opportunity to resist. What they wanted is what they have. Eat
      1. +3
        9 January 2014 22: 28
        However, to be honest, all this looks like some kind of game. If you believe the reports received, ISIS combat units have begun urgently surrendering their positions in Syria to other groups and are massively moving towards Iraq. The number of militants is estimated at about 10 thousand active bayonets. it has two goals
        1) to return the lost confidence of some Western countries, which have quietly withdrawn from the opposition due to the fact that al-Qaeda began to play a significant role there
        2) open a second front in Iraq and force Iraqi Shiite forces to leave Syria, which also have approximately 10 soldiers there. Due to the fact that ISIS fighters have extensive experience in conducting war in urban conditions, the return of Iraqi troops is not excluded, because the Iraqi army is not has so much experience
  2. vladsolo56
    +2
    9 January 2014 09: 25
    However, if Iraq breaks up, what follows from this? just that two or rather three new states are being formed. When the civil war broke out, there are only two ways: to destroy all those who disagree, or to split up. Which is better?
    1. +1
      9 January 2014 09: 41
      I would add one more conclusion. All arms transfers to the Iraqi government are prepaid only.
    2. +4
      9 January 2014 10: 05
      There the Sunnis revolted, they live compactly in the heart of Iraq. In the North of the Kurds, in general in Iraq, the majority of Shiites. Plus, many tribes do not like each other very much.

      Therefore, the first years that way 5 civil war.
      1. 0
        9 January 2014 14: 52
        Did the Kurds make any statements? And then in Kirkuk terrorist attacks probably caught ethnic Kurds.
  3. 0
    9 January 2014 09: 26
    The assault on January 7, Er Ramadi failed, the assault on Feluji was then canceled on January 8th.
  4. +1
    9 January 2014 09: 27
    The country will fall apart 100% everything goes to this.
    1. mnn_13
      0
      9 January 2014 23: 34
      The collapse itself is not terrible, it is a fact. Another question - what will happen after the collapse? Russia cannot afford to take an neutral position in these events.
  5. +4
    9 January 2014 09: 50
    Iraq has actually already disintegrated, legal formalities remain, to be more specific, Iraqi (Southern) Kurdistan is an independent state without 5 minutes.
    1. 0
      12 January 2014 20: 47
      Quote: RUSS
      Iraq has actually already disintegrated, legal formalities remain, to be more specific, Iraqi (Southern) Kurdistan is an independent state without 5 minutes.

      The embodiment of the plans of the Yankees. Liberoids will still lick their ass.
  6. +4
    9 January 2014 10: 12
    At the moment, in Iraq, a rebel in Anbar. Fallujah was originally a religious city in which on the part of the authorities there was only the police and that Sunni. Therefore, Fallujah was lost instantly, and many police officers themselves went over to the side of the Sunni tribes / jihadists.

    Ramadi was taken in battle, but again the authorities were not ready for such events and with great losses came out (more than 100 people were lost killed on January 4).

    After that, they raised the guard units, Shiite units, SOF and began to pull together. At the same time, there is now a split within the rebels. Local As-Sadras (more or less moderate) - want negotiations, realizing that they will be crushed sooner or later. But the jihadists have already declared their rebel territory and promised to fight until Iraq is completely liberated from the wrong.

    7 numbers tried to enter the Ramadi SOF with tanks and air support - but failed. 8 numbers of the storming Fallujah canceled.

    Now the authorities, oddly enough, have a huge aviation deficit. UAV is, there are light reconnaissance. However, the drums are only Sesny - which are carried by 2 Maverick, there are also few Mavericks themselves. And the Mi-35 is still small.

  7. +1
    9 January 2014 10: 21
    Something American democracy has not taken root in any country liberated by them.
  8. +3
    9 January 2014 10: 46
    one hundred percent Americans completed their mission in Iraq - complete destabilization with further intensification of tension and expansion of the conflict region .... There is only one way out, to unite with our neighbors and dunk the terrorist international together
    1. Sergh
      +1
      9 January 2014 13: 03
      Quote: JonnyT
      team up with neighbors and dunk together the terrorist international

      Command and advanced units in the hands of the Syrians.
      1. +2
        9 January 2014 20: 52
        The Syrians now have enough of their problems. But the Iranian units, in principle, are free. Only there will be no sense in it. It is not necessary to fight with the consequence, it is necessary to fight with the cause. Destroy these from the other side of the Gulf will send new ones. So it all depends not on who will lead the advanced units, but on the direction of the strike.
  9. +1
    9 January 2014 10: 54
    At one time, Afghanistan was in the same situation, and asked for help in restoring order, the USSR then sent troops and saved the country from collapse. Now this is hardly possible ..
  10. +2
    9 January 2014 11: 04
    from the Don.
    But who supports these jihadists with weapons, money, intelligence in Syria? Who supplies weapons to power in Iraq? Divide and rule as old as the world!
    1. Sergh
      +2
      9 January 2014 13: 10
      Quote: borisjdin1957
      And who supports these jihadists with weapons, money, intelligence in Syria

      And it’s not difficult to look at the map, if the same neighbor is quiet and calm (Saudi, etc.), then this leads to bad thoughts. Well, America is certainly out of competition. And the drug in Afghanistan is not a lollipop ...
  11. FormerMariman
    +3
    9 January 2014 11: 20
    The absurdity of American policy on BV is that: in Syria, support al-Qaeda, and in Iraq to fight it! And Fallujah has already been handed over to militants!
    1. 0
      9 January 2014 20: 54
      They do not fight with their own hands. They sell weapons to both. Nothing personal - just business
  12. -1
    9 January 2014 11: 23
    I understood from the press that ISIS lost the battles in Syria, as they had to fight with the army and other jihadist brigades, they decided to recoup in Iraq where the army is weaker than the militias of the tribes weaker than the jihadists in Syria. It seems like the Fallujah and the US Army stormed and suffered significant losses there. In general, civilians are not lucky to live there, if you want, you do not want to have to pick up weapons or leave.
  13. malikszh
    +11
    9 January 2014 11: 44
    Thanks to the Syrian army for the destruction of extremists from Kazakhstan!
    1. +4
      9 January 2014 13: 06
      Quote: malikszh
      Thanks to the Syrian army for the destruction of extremists from Kazakhstan!

      From Russia, Thank you VERY MUCH for "ours"!
  14. Romanychby
    +2
    9 January 2014 13: 52
    War is war, and most of all civilians and, above all, children are affected. This is very sad. With this thought, my heart bleeds.
  15. 0
    9 January 2014 17: 39
    Any fresh news, Iraqi bearded pressed there or what?
    1. 0
      9 January 2014 18: 45
      All the same. The civilian population of thousands fleeing Fallujah, in Baghdad and in the country, the attacks almost every day, the militants are developing an offensive trying to spread to the widest possible territory.
  16. 0
    9 January 2014 18: 17
    Lord Which of them are Sunnis, which of them are Shiites? Who are the Wahhabis?
    1. +1
      10 January 2014 02: 16
      Yes there is such a mess, they knock each other according to the principle-Allah in heaven himself will figure out who is who wassat
  17. 0
    9 January 2014 20: 41
    Here it is American democracy .. in all its glory. This is what they want in Syria ..
  18. likurg1
    0
    9 January 2014 22: 51
    large middle east, a beehive with a beetle!

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