Al-Qaida chief Ayman al-Zawahiri The Coordinator 2015 Part 19-118-Caliphate-vs-Regular Armies-20

C de Waart; CdW Intelligence to Rent [email protected] In Confidence

Al-Qaida chief Ayman al-Zawahiri The Coordinator 2015 Part 19-118-Caliphate-vs-Regular Armies-20

“The US is rebooting its strategy in the war against ISIL after months of stalemate and Russia’s intervention in the Syrian conflict,” “The Pentagon’s plan, steered by General Joseph Dunford, America’s top military commander, would force ISIL to fight on several fronts. It calls for coordinated offensives involving Syrian and Iraqi Kurdish forces, the Iraqi army and Iranian-backed Shia militias — which the US refuses to endorse.

"The Iraqis welcomes Prime Minister Haidar al-Abadi's request from Russia for direct intervention in the anti-ISIL fight and our country does not need the American troops."

Hesham al-Hashemi said the Baghdad government would ask for Russia's direct military assistance in the fight against the ISIL in the coming days.

"The parliament fractions are calling on the Iraqi government to request Russian airstrikes and use it to attack the ISIL military bases and oil centers,"

Rubaie, who is now a senior legislator at the Iraqi parliament, told FNA on Tuesday. "The US air force doesn’t cooperate with Iraq's federal government and security and armed forces and refrains from providing any intelligence on ISIL's concentration and field camps," he added.

Deputy Secretary General of Iraq's Badr Organization Abdolkarim al-Ansari blasted the US-led Anti-ISIL Coalition's poor performance in fighting the Takfiri terrorists, and said his country does no more want Washington's help in the war against the militant group.

Oct 23, 2015 Pentagon Planning Massive New Offensive in Iraq

TEHRAN (FNA Oct 23)- The Pentagon claims to have found a way to regain the initiative in the Middle East: it now wants to force ISIL to fight on several fronts by massively increasing US-led airstrikes and deploying more anti-tank weapons to Iraq.“The US is rebooting its strategy in the war against ISIL after months of stalemate and Russia’s intervention in the Syrian conflict,” reads an article in The Times of London.“The Pentagon’s plan, steered by General Joseph Dunford, America’s top military commander, would force ISIL to fight on several fronts. It calls for coordinated offensives involving Syrian and Iraqi Kurdish forces, the Iraqi army and Iranian-backed Shia militias — which the US refuses to endorse. Ash Carter, the US defense secretary, and senior officials are expected to outline the strategy to Congress next week.”“Amid reports that the Kremlin has requested permission from Baghdad to begin airstrikes inside Iraq, General Dunford is plotting a massive increase in US-led airstrikes and the deployment of substantially more anti-tank weapons to regain the initiative.”General Dunford, the outlet says, has already flown to the Kurdish city of Arbil to formalize the new offensive. Probably one of the guarantees for the future success of the new initiative is the assurance from Iraq that it would not seek Russian air strikes against ISIL. The chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff said on Tuesday that he had laid out a choice when he met with Iraqi Prime Minister and Defense Minister: it would be very difficult for Washington to provide the kind of support to Iraq if the Russians were operating there as well. However on Thursday the Iraqi Parliament’s defense committee

1The farther back you can look, the farther forward you are likely to see. –Winston Churchill

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secretary told Sputnik that Iraq did not give the United States any promises that it would not turn to Russia with a request to conduct airstrikes against the ISIL.

Oct 22, 2015 Expert Praises Army's War Strategy in Northern Syria for Cutting Terrorists' Connection Routes

TEHRAN (FNA)- The terrorists' connection routes have been cut off by the Syrian army's war strategy that has created multiple operational zones in the Northern front, a prominent military expert said."The Syrian army's tactic to divide the Northern parts of the country into numerous operational zones and cut the routes via which the terrorists were supplied with aids cut off the links among the terrorist groups and will soon end up in decisive victories," Retired Lebanese Army General and Military Expert Ali Maqsoud told FNA on Thursday.Noting that the Syrian army has regained control over 65km of Western Aleppo in the past few days, he said that the army forces have also changed the equations in Aleppo front by using new tactics in operations in the Southwestern and Eastern parts of the province.Maqsoud said that the Syrian forces have destroyed the terrorists' strongholds and missile equipment that they had received from their supporters through this new tactics.Intelligence sources said on Wednesday that hundreds of militants were fleeing the Northern Aleppo province to safer areas to save their lives after suffering heavy casualties in a joint massive attack of the Syrian Army and Lebanese Hezbollah with the Russian air backup. The sources said that the militant groups, whose hideouts and supplying lines have come under massive attacks of the Syrian army troops, Hezbollah and the Russian fighter jets, are leaving the Aleppo province to find safer location inside or outside of the country. On Monday, a commander of Syria's National Defense Forces elaborated on the objectives of the large-scale army operations in Aleppo, and explained the latest gains made by pro-government forces in the strategically important province, including the latest conditions of the besieged Kuweires military airbase. The Syrian army backed by the Lebanese Hezbollah resistance and Iraq's resistance forces launched massive military operations in Aleppo province, specially in its Southwest, concurrent with the army's new operations in Hama and Lattakia provinces. "The goal of these operations is to purge these regions of terrorists and continue advances towards the Lattakia province; if these operations succeed, the route connecting the terrorist groups in Aleppo to Lattakia and Idlib provinces will be cut off and supply of aids to them through the Turkish border will grow fully impossible," the Syrian field commander, who spoke on the condition of anonymity for security reasons, told FNA. Also according to the commander, if the mop-up operations in Southwest Aleppo, Northern Hama and Idlib ends with success, security will be established on the main route linking Central Syria, or the Damascus province, to the Northern parts of the country, or Aleppo, and accordingly dispatch of equipment and troops will be expedited, while terrorists in Eastern and Western Syria will be fully disconnected.

TEHRAN (FNA Oct 22)- Syrian army troops conducted a series of military operations against the Takfiri militants on the outskirts of Harasta in Damascus countryside, and retook control of al-Majbal region. A large group of the terrorists were killed and their vehicles were destroyed in the operations, reports said Wednesday. Earlier on





Wednesday, Syrian fighter jets bombed hideouts of the foreign-backed Takfiri militants in Damascus countryside. The airstrikes destroyed vehicles and hideouts of the terrorist groups in al-Qalamoun area and to the West of Marj al-Sultan airport in Damascus countryside, informed sources said.

TEHRAN (FNA Oct 22)- Several strategic regions in the Northern countryside of Homs province were regained by forces trained by a Brigade that was formed by Iran's Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC) Commander Brigadier General Hossein Hamadani who was killed in Northern Syria earlier this month.Imam Reza (AS) Brigade that was formed of the Syrian popular forces by Brigadier General Hamadani and trained by the Lebanese Hezbollah resistance movement could recapture a number of blocks and farms in Mukhtariya district in the Eastern part of Tir al-Ma'aleh region, Homs province, a field source told FNA on Thursday. He added that Imam Reza (AS) forces also inflicted heavy loss and damage on the terrorists' strongholds in the region and made them flee the scene after fierce clashes. The IRGC in a statement on October 9 announced that its war veteran commander had been killed in Northern Syria, while providing military counseling services to the Syrian forces in their fight against the Takfiri terrorists. General Hamadani was martyred during an attack by the ISIL Takfiri terrorists in the outskirts of the city of Aleppo while fulfilling his duty as military advisor and defending the holy Shiite shrines in the country, said the statement. General Hamadani was in Syria to render military advice to the Syrian army and popular forces in their fight against the ISIL terrorists in the Arab country.Also in a message on October 10, Commander of the Iranian Army Ground Force General Ahmad Reza Pourdastan said the death of Brigadier General Hamadani in Syria would make Tehran more resolute to put an end the war of militancy in Syria. "The martyrdom of Brigadier General Hamadani reinvigorates our determination to continue his path and take a harsh and strong revenge from the terrorists and their supporters," Brigadier General Pourdastan said in his message.

Wed Oct 21, 2015 Syrian Forces Push Terrorists Back from More Territories in Aleppo TEHRAN (FNA)- The Syrian Army alongside the country's National Defense Forces stormed militant-held areas near Aleppo and pushed the terrorists back from parts of al-Zahra area, military officials announced on Wednesday.The sources said that al-Zahra area in the Northern Aleppo province was the scene of heavy clashes between the Syrian government and national forces and the militant groups, which resulted in the recapture of several buildings in al-Zahra.On Monday, a commander of Syria's National Defense Forces elaborated on the objectives of the large-scale army operations in Aleppo, and explained the latest gains made by pro-government forces in the strategically important province, including the latest conditions of the besieged Kuweires military airbase. The Syrian army backed by the Lebanese Hezbollah resistance and Iraq's resistance forces launched massive military operations in Aleppo province, specially in its Southwest, concurrent with the army's new operations in Hama and Lattakia provinces. "The goal of these operations is to purge these regions of terrorists and continue advances towards the Lattakia province; if these operations





succeed, the route connecting the terrorist groups in Aleppo to Lattakia and Idlib provinces will be cut off and supply of aids to them through the Turkish border will grow fully impossible," the Syrian field commander, who spoke on the condition of anonymity for security reasons, told FNA. Also according to the commander, if the mop-up operations in Southwest Aleppo, Northern Hama and Idlib ends with success, security will be established on the main route linking Central Syria, or the Damascus province, to the Northern parts of the country, or Aleppo, and accordingly dispatch of equipment and troops will be expedited, while terrorists in Eastern and Western Syria will be fully disconnected.

Wed Oct 21, 2015 Foreign Mercenaries Arrive in Syria to Support Terrorists

TEHRAN (FNA)- A large number of foreign mercenaries have arrived in the province of Idlib, Northwestern Syria, to help the terrorists fight the government troops, Russia announced. "The leaders of terrorist groups are trying to recoup the losses which they suffered in battles against the Syrian army or occurred as a result of militants’ desertion from the frontline," ITAR-Tass quoted the Russian Defense Ministry as saying on Tuesday. A huge number of foreign mercenaries are arriving in Idlib province, the ministry quoted the Syrian reconnaissance information as saying. Meantime, the Russian Armed Forces General Staff said that the terrorists defending the town of al-Shaykh Maskin in Daraa province were short of ammunitions and personnel. "They have had nothing to eat for the past three days. The local population is avoiding any cooperation (with the militants) and is refusing to help them," the Russian Defense Ministry said. It said that the militants were depressed by the huge losses as cases of desertion from the frontline have become commonplace.

Wed Oct 21, 2015 Spokesman: Iraq's Hezbollah Battalions Planning to Expel US from Anbar Province

TEHRAN (FNA 22 Oct )- Iraqi security and popular forces have caught an Israeli colonel from Golani Brigade along with a number of ISIL terrorists, a commander disclosed on Thursday. "The security and popular forces have held captive an Israeli colonel," a commander of Iraq's popular mobilization forces said on Thursday. "The Zionist officer is ranked colonel and had participated in the Takfiri ISIL group's terrorist operations," he added. Noting that he was arrested along with a number of ISIL terrorists, the commander said, "The Israeli colonel's name is Yusi Oulen Shahak and is ranked colonel in Golani Brigade of the Zionist regime's army with the security and military code of Re34356578765az231434." He said that the relevant bodies are now interrogating the

Israeli colonel to understand the reasons behind his fighting alongside the ISIL forces and the presence of other Zionist officers among ISIL terrorists. The Iraqi security forces said the captured colonel has already made shocking confessions.

TEHRAN (FNA)- The Iraqi army and tribesmen's special operations broke the





siege on 350 members of Abu Nimer tribe in Ramadi.Naim al-Akoud, a leader of Sunni Abu Nimer tribe, announced that 350 members of the tribe were freed in al-Sarsar region in Northern Ramadi, al-Anbar province, in Western Iraq. He told al-Soumeriya news that the ISIL had surrounded these people but the fighters of Abu Nimer managed to release them during the operations last night. The ISIL militant group had executed some 70 men from the anti-ISIL tribe in Iraq's Western province of Anbar earlier this month. "The ISIL kidnapped some 70 Abu Nimer tribesmen from Tharthar area in North of provincial capital city of Ramadi late on Sunday night, and killed them in the same area," Leader of Abu Nimer tribe Shiekh Na'im al-Gaoud said.All the executed were civilians whose fathers and brothers had joined the Iraqi army, police and popular forces to fight the ISIL group in the town of Barwana, near Haditha, some 200 km Northwest of Iraqi capital of Baghdad, Gaoud said.Gaoud urged Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi, who is also commander-in-chief of the Iraqi armed forces, to rapidly liberate the province from the militant group in order to spare the lives of his tribesmen. In November 2014, the ISIL executed more than 400 Abu Nimer tribesmen. Dozens more were executed early this year across Anbar province. The executions came as Iraqi security forces and allied Hashed Shaabi mobilized popular troops fought a months-long battle to retake key cities and towns in the largest province from the ISIL which seized most of Anbar and tried to advance toward Baghdad.

TEHRAN (FNA)- Spokesman of Iraq's Kata'ib Hezbollah (Hezbollah Battalions) Jafar al-Hosseini underlined that his forces are planning to win back the city of Ramadi after expelling the American forces from Anbar province. "Our forces have two operations underway; first seizing Ramadi from ISIL and second keeping away the American forces from Anbar province," al-Hosseini told FNA on Wednesday. He underlined that preventing the US forces from getting close to Anbar province will expedite operations for winning back the province, specially after the military operations in Salahuddin province that led to the liberation of the city of Beiji. The Ramadi city is now the scene of massive military operations of Iraq's joint forces against the ISIL militants. Ramadi, the capital of Anbar province, was attacked by the jihadists in 2014 before being captured in February, 2015. Government forces succeeded in liberating the city in March, but withdrew two months later. Iraq's Western provinces have become a battlefield between Iraqi government forces and the ISIL fighters.The Iraqi troops captured the refinery city of Beiji in the Western Salahuddin province on the second day of a fresh massive operation on Monday. Iraq's Armed Forces Command Center made an official announcement on the groundbreaking victory on Tuesday.In July, Iraqi armed forces launched a large-scale operation to roll back ISIL insurgency in Anbar province, however, its capital is still controlled by the Takfiris. The messages sent by the US and Russia to Iraq indicate that the Baghdad government is under pressure resulting from the rivalries between the US and Russia over increasing their regional presence. Such pressures will continue until Baghdad takes a final and resolute stance on US or Russian support in fighting the ISIL in the Arab country.Meantime, the present information indicates that the Iraqi government is more inclined to take up a bigger role in the quadrilateral coalition with Russia, Iran and Syria. Washington has not replied to Baghdad's call for serious fight against the ISIL in action, while Moscow, Tehran and Damascus are still the most important supporters of Iraq in the fight against the ISIL; unlike Washington that is trying to weaken the Iraqi volunteer forces in their fight against the ISIL, the Russia, Iran and Syria reiterate strengthening the volunteer forces. The US government in a message to Iraqi Prime Minister Haidar al-Abadi voiced Obama's dissatisfaction with Baghdad's inclination towards Tehran, Moscow and





Damascus. In the meantime, the Iraqi groups, specially the volunteer forces, believe he quadrilateral coalition has provided actual aid and backup to Iraq, while the US coalition did not, and this has resulted in Iraq's inclination towards Iran, Russia and Syria.Iraq's Former National Security Adviser Mowaffak al-Rubaie underlined the necessity for replacing Washington with Moscow for joint war on terrorist groups. "The parliament fractions are calling on the Iraqi government to request Russian airstrikes and use it to attack the ISIL military bases and oil centers," Rubaie, who is now a senior legislator at the Iraqi parliament, told FNA on Tuesday. "The US air force doesn’t cooperate with Iraq's federal government and security and armed forces and refrains from providing any intelligence on ISIL's concentration and field camps," he added. Rubaie complained that in every 10 flight missions conducted by the US-led coalition planes, ISIL positions come under attack in only two missions, while nothing special happens in the remaining 8 missions.In relevant remarks on Monday, Iraqi security expert Hesham al-Hashemi said the Baghdad government would ask for Russia's direct military assistance in the fight against the ISIL in the coming days, adding that further military advances by Iraq's joint forces would be a great achievement for the quadrilateral coalition. "If the Iraqi security forces achieve considerable advances in their fight against the ISIL in the Northern parts of Salahudin province, Iraq will surely ask for Russia's military aid to help them in the fight agaist the ISIL," Al-Hashemi told FNA. The Iraqi security expert reiterated that the Iraqi air force desperately needed the Russian air force's help in the fight against the ISIL.He pointed to a security agreement signed between Iraq and the US, and said, "The Baghdad-Washington agreement will not prevent Iraq from asking for further military aid in the ongoing fight against terrorism from any third country." On Saturday, Russia's Deputy Defense Minister Anatoly Antonov told reporters after the 6th Xiangshan Security Forum in Beijing that Moscow had not received a request for military assistance in fight against the outlawed ISIL terrorist group, and it is ready to consider it. "What I can say now is that as of today we do not have a request from Iraq like the one we have from (Syria’s President) Bashar Assad," he said. "In case we receive a request, we shall consider it accordingly." "As there are very many insinuations about Syria, I would like to stress we have a written request from Bashar Assad for a military and military-technical assistance in fighting IS(IL)," he said. "We stress we are acting on a legal base and in compliance with the international law."

TEHRAN (FNA 21 0ct )- Deputy Secretary General of Iraq's Badr Organization Abdolkarim al-Ansari blasted the US-led Anti-ISIL Coalition's poor performance in fighting the Takfiri terrorists, and said his country does no more want Washington's help in the war against the militant group."What the international coalition has done to fight the ISIL over the past year has been much smaller than what the (Iraqi) volunteer forces have achieved in the same period," Al-Ansari told FNA on Wednesday. He reiterated that the Iraqi volunteer forces have achieved great victories in all fronts while they have had none of the the equipment and satellites that the so-called coalition has for surveilling and controlling the ISIL in all regions."Yet, the US-led coalition has done nothing important since its formation and none of its attacks has been desirable and effective; even in some cases it has targeted the (Iraqi) volunteer forces," Al-Ansari said. He, meantime, appreciated the role played by the quadrilateral coalition comprising Syria, Russia, Iran and Iraq against the ISIL, and said, "The Iraqis welcomes Prime Minister Haidar al-Abadi's request from Russia for direct intervention in the anti-ISIL fight and our country does not need the American troops."





Earlier today, a member of the State of Law Coalition revealed that Iraq's parliament is planning to vote whether or not the country should request the support of the Russian Air Force in fighting the ISIL Takfiri terrorist group by the end of this month.Iraq's parliament is planning to vote to request support from Russia in fighting the ISIL by the end of the month, a member of the State of Law Coalition told Sputnik on Wednesday.The State of Law Coalition is Iraq's largest political party, led by former Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki, and is part of the ruling coalition. The legislator also told Sputnik that the vote is expected to pass with majority support. The US has been increasingly concerned about Russian influence in Iraq, and has sent envoys to the country to dissuade further cooperation. Legislator Mowaffak Rubaie said the bill will definitely receive a positive vote as the parliament's ruling majority already supports its approval.Rubaie is also a former national security adviser in Nouri al-Maliki's government. Iraq has spent over $20 billion on US military training since the 2003 US invasion which toppled Saddam Hussein. The new army has been unable to counter ISIL and has a dire lack of heavy equipment, such as artillery and helicopters. In relevant remarks on Tuesday, al-Rubaie underlined the necessity for replacing Washington with Moscow for joint war on terrorist groups."The parliament fractions are calling on the Iraqi government to request Russian airstrikes and use it to attack the ISIL military bases and oil centers," Rubaie told FNA."The US air force doesn’t cooperate with Iraq's federal government and security and armed forces and refrains from providing any intelligence on ISIL's concentration and field camps," he added. Rubaie complained that in every 10 flight missions conducted by the US-led coalition planes, ISIL positions come under attack in only two missions, while nothing special happens in the remaining 8 missions.In relevant remarks on Monday, Iraqi security expert Hesham al-Hashemi said the Baghdad government would ask for Russia's direct military assistance in the fight against the ISIL in the coming days, adding that further military advances by Iraq's joint forces would be a great achievement for the quadrilateral coalition. "If the Iraqi security forces achieve considerable advances in their fight against the ISIL in the Northern parts of Salahudin province, Iraq will surely ask for Russia's military aid to help them in the fight against the ISIL," Al-Hashemi told FNA. The Iraqi security expert reiterated that the Iraqi air force desperately needed the Russian air force's help in the fight against the ISIL.He pointed to a security agreement signed between Iraq and the US, and said, "The Baghdad-Washington agreement will not prevent Iraq from asking for further military aid in the ongoing fight against terrorism from any third country."On Saturday, Russia's Deputy Defense Minister Anatoly Antonov told reporters after the 6th Xiangshan Security Forum in Beijing that Moscow had not received a request for military assistance in fight against the outlawed ISIL terrorist group, and it is ready to consider it. "What I can say now is that as of today we do not have a request from Iraq like the one we have from (Syria’s President) Bashar Assad," he said. "In case we receive a request, we shall consider it accordingly." "As there are very many insinuations about Syria, I would like to stress we have a written request from Bashar Assad for a military and military-technical assistance in fighting IS(IL)," he said. "We stress we are acting on a legal base and in compliance with the international law."Iraq has recently purchased TOS-1 multiple rocket launcher systems and Mi-28 helicopter gunships from Russia to strengthen its army in the fight against the notorious terrorist group. At the same time, US airstrikes in the country have failed to help the Iraqi government mount an offensive against ISIL.





Tue Oct 20, 2015 Iranian Commander: Mediterranean Coasts Frontline of Campaign against World Arrogance

TEHRAN (FNA)- A senior Iranian commander underlined that the resistance forces are now fighting the arrogant powers along their borders, adding that "the frontline is now along the Mediterranean coasts". "Today, the frontline of battle against the world arrogance is the Mediterranean coasts and inside the enemy borders," Lieutenant Commander of the IRGC Saheb al-Zaman Corp in Isfahan province Brigadier General Mojtaba Fada said on Tuesday. He underlined Iran's continued support for the resistance front, and said, "If the resistance front sustains defeat, then Iran will be the first target of the arrogance front." "The resistance front is the Islamic Revolution's front to confront the world arrogance," Fada said.In relevant remarks in November, Lieutenant Commander of the Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC) Brigadier General Hossein Salami announced that Iran is now fighting the enemies at its strategic borders which have been stretched to the Eastern Mediterranean and North Africa." ٌWhile, one day, our nation was fighting the enemy at borders of Karkheh river (in Khouzestan province, Southwestern Iran), now it has expanded its strategic borders in this fight against enemies to the East of the Mediterranean and North of Africa," Salami said, addressing Basiji (volunteer) forces in the Central province of Isfahan."The Islamic Revolution is spreading and the Basiji 1way of thinking has made the arrogant power face with a deadlock and a landmark historical defeat and failure," he added.Also in November, Salami underlined Iran's military capabilities, and said the country had grown so powerful that it could target all enemies' vital interests throughout the region."Iran is more powerful than any other time and our defense power against the enemies cannot be compared to the past," Salami said, addressing Basij (volunteer) force commanders in the Northeastern city of Mashhad. "The expansion of Iran's military power has raced up and is now making progress at a high speed, meaning that today, we are able to hit all the vital interests of the enemies at any point in the region," he added. Salami referred to Iran's progress in building different military weapons and tools, including drones, radars, missiles, air defense and radar-evading planes, and said, "Iran is the center of regional stability and security and the security of the world energy and regional and international shipping and trade in the Persian Gulf and the Sea of Oman is in the hands of Iran."

1 On November 25, 1979, revolutionary leader Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini called for the creation of a “twenty million man army.” Article 151 of the constitution obliges the government to “provide a program of military training, with all requisite facilities, for all its citizens, in accordance with the Islamic criteria, in such a way that all citizens will always be able to engage in the armed defense of the Islamic Republic of Iran.” The “people’s militia” was established on April 30, 1980. Basij is the name of the force; a basiji is an individual member. The Basij Resistance Force is a volunteer paramilitary organization operating under the Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC). It is an auxiliary force with many duties, especially internal security, law enforcement, special religious or political events and morals policing. The Basij have branches in virtually every city and town in Iran. The Basij statute stipulates that the militia’s mission is to “create the necessary capabilities in all individuals believing in the Constitution and the goals of the Islamic Republic to defend the country, the regime of the Islamic Republic, and aid people in cases of disasters and unexpected events.”





US praises role of Iranian-backed Shiite militias in Baiji operationBY BILL ROGGIO AND CALEB WEISS | October 22nd, 2015 | Over the past several days, US officials have celebrated the capture of Baiji from the Islamic State. While doing so, they have praised the role that Iranian-supported Shiite militias have played in capturing the strategic central Iraqi city. These are the same militias that are responsible for killing hundreds of US soldiers just a few years ago, and many of these militia leaders are listed as Specially Designated Global Terrorists. Additionally, the US is continuing to provide air support to aid these groups.Both the US military and the Obama administration’s Deputy Special Presidential Envoy to the Global Coalition to Counter ISIL (the outdated acronym for the Islamic State) issued statements that praised the role the Shiite militias played in recapturing Baiji.Brett McGurk, the Deputy Special Presidential Envoy for the Global Coalition to Counter ISIL [another acronym for the Islamic State], tweeted that the “US commends progress by Iraqi Security Forces and popular mobilization forces [emphasis ours] against ISIL terrorists in Baiji.” He also confirmed that the US has launched around 130 airstrikes in support of these groups since August.1/3 The U.S. commends progress by Iraqi Security Forces & popular mobilization forces against #ISIL terrorists in #Bayji. #Beiji #بيجي— Brett McGurk (@brett_mcgurk) October 21, 20152/3 We’re proud of our partnership w/Iraqi forces in this battle, including 130 precision airstrikes since August & training key ISF units.— Brett McGurk (@brett_mcgurk) October 21, 20153/3 These units performed heroically over months of fighting, and we now look forward to strengthening our partnership in coming offensives.— Brett McGurk (@brett_mcgurk) October 21, 2015McGurk’s plaudits for the role that the “popular mobilization forces” have played in Baiji was echoed by the US military, which called these units “Shiia [sic] security forces.”Army Major Mike Filanowski, an officer in the Combined Joint Task Force-Operation Inherent Resolve (CJTF-OIR), said that “The people who did the heavy lifting [in Baiji] were the Iraqi special forces.” He continued by saying, “they not only secured the [Baiji] oil refinery, but also the power plant to the north all the way up to the al-Fatah Bridge.” While the Iraqi special forces did help capture the refinery, they were not the only forces doing the “heavy lifting.” The Department of Defense press release that quoted Filanowski admitted that the Popular Mobilization Committee (also called Popular Mobilization Units or Popular Mobilization Forces), was conducting operations. “In the last three days, a special operations team from the elite Counterterrorism Service spearheaded the attack,” the DoD statement said. “The team worked with Iraqi army soldiers, Popular Mobilization Front forces — essentially Shiia security forces — and federal police” [emphasis ours]. So while the US commends the Iraqi Security Forces and the Popular Mobilization Committee, it is also lauding designated terrorists and a Foreign Terrorist Organization. The Popular Mobilization Committee is led by Abu Mahdi al Muhandis, a former commander in the Badr Organization who was listed by the US government as a Specially Designated Global Terrorist in July 2009. The US government described Muhandis, whose real name is Jamal Jaafar Mohammed, as “an advisor to Qassem Soleimani,” the commander of the Qods Force, the external operations wing of the Iranian Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC).The Iranian-backed Shiite militias that played a prominent role in the assault on Baiji include: Asa’ib al Haq (League of the Righteous), whose leader Qais al Khazali is thought to be involved in the murder of five US soldiers in Karbala in 2007; Hezbollah Brigades,





which is listed as a Foreign Terrorist Organization by the US government; Harakat al Nujaba, which recently called for the expulsion of US troops from Iraq; Harakat al Nujaba, which is led by Akram Abbas al Kaabi, a Specially Designated Global Terrorist; Kata’ib Imam Ali, led by Shebl al Zaydi, who is close to Qods Force commander Qassem Soleimani; Kata’ib Sayyid al Shuhada, which is commanded by Mustafa al Sheibani, who is also a Specially Designated Global Terrorist; and Badr Corps, another large militia supported by Iran. For more information the role these militias played in the retaking of Baiji, including photographs and video of Iraqi forces operating alongside these militias, see LWJ report, Iraqi Army, Shiite militias report success in Baiji.Sadly, this behavior by US officials is nothing new. Earlier this year, General (retired) John Allen, the former Special Presidential Envoy for the Global Coalition to Counter ISIL, claimed that the US is only supporting so-called moderate Shiite militas, and not the “extremist elements.” Allen’s statement is below:With regard to militias, it’s really important to understand that the militias are not just a single monolithic entity. There are the militias that you and I are used to hearing that have close alignments with Iran. Those are the extremist elements, and we don’t have anything to do with that. But there are elements of the Shia militias that volunteered last year to try to defend Iraq from the onslaught of Daesh [Islamic State] who were called to arms by Grand Ayatollah Sistani, and those elements, or the Popular Mobilization Force, as they are known, have been subordinated to the Iraqi higher military campaign or command. And they will provide maneuver capacity and additional firepower to the Iraqi Security Forces as we continue to build them out, as we continue to build the professionalization of the Iraqi forces.So the fact that militias are involved and tribes are involved in this part of the campaign, this part of the implementation of supporting Iraq ultimately to recover the country, should not alarm us. We just need to ensure that we manage the outcome of this. Prime Minister Abadi’s been clear that these organizations within the Popular Mobilization Force, the Shia volunteers, will eventually either transition into the security forces themselves or go home. That’s the solution that he intends and I think that that’s a supportable outcome. So for now – this goes back to the point that you made about urgency – urgency is an important factor here in helping us to focus on supporting the Iraqis, the tribes, and the Popular Mobilization Force to take those actions necessary to defeat Daesh locally. Allen said that the fact that the US is supporting the Popular Mobilization Committee “should not alarm us.” Except it should alarm us. Because as we detailed, the organization’s operational leader is a Specially Designated Terrorist, and its most effective militias are Iranian pawns that are responsible for killing hundreds of US soldiers and remain openly hostile to the US. Bill Roggio is a Senior Fellow at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies and the Editor of The Long War Journal. Caleb Weiss is an intern at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies and a contributor to The Long War Journal.




Al-Qaida chief Ayman al-Zawahiri The Coordinator 2015 Part 19-118-Caliphate-vs-Regular Armies-20

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