Friday, March 27, 2015

Ground Offensive Resumes in Tikrit

After Two Days of U.S.-led Coalition Airstrikes against ISIL Positions
Several thousands Iraqi security forces and fighters from the Popular Mobilization Forces (PMF), composed primarily of Shia militia fighters, have resumed their offensive on the ground in Tikrit after a two-week pause, the Pentagon spokesman COL Steve Warren said today.

Three Shia militia groups, KH, AAH and Peace Brigades, have withdrawn from the battlefield in protest to U.S. airstrikes of the past 48 hours against ISIL positions in Tikrit. Pentagon said their withdrawal was welcome.

“There are primarily the Shia militia units that we had no interest in being on the battlefield in the first place,” Warren said. “These are the Shia militia that are clearly linked or often infiltrated by Iran, so their departure from the battlefield is welcome.” (Defense.gov, 27 March)

The forces that remain on the battlefield are loyal to the government of Iraq and under the direct control of Iraq’s Ministry of Defense, Warren said.

Meanwhile, U.S.-led coalition airstrikes against ISIL targets continued in the area today. They began on 25 March at the request of Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi.

Photo credit: Iraqi Defense Minister Khalid al-Obaidi (center) announcing the pending resumption of offensive operations on the ground in Tikrit; 26 March 2015 (Reuters/Washington Post)

5 comments:

Anonymous said...

The Islamic Republic need not apply.

That was the reasn that there were no airstrikes or supplies of ammunition to the Abramses and so on.....

Maybe more wasted Shiites' blood was better than their growing presence....

A-F

Anonymous said...

Iraqis and the U.S. together can win, but they need to keep the incompetent Iranians out. Maliki's biggest mistake was believing that iran would protect him against these few thousand isis rebels. Iran has always been utterly incompetent in military matters. Whether you look over 2000 years ago, 1400 years ago, or 20 years ago, you will see nothing but iran getting completely and totally crushed militarily. You would have to be a fool to believe in such a country!

Anonymous said...

Anon 6:28 AM
Iran/Persia was the only country on this planet that defeated the mighty Roman empire several times over.And since the establishment of Iran nearly 2600 years ago by Cyrus the great it still remains intact. And will continue doing so for the next millennia. So much for the utter incompetence of Iranians.

Unknown said...

Someone needs some serious workout on their knowledge of ancient and modern history!!

Anonymous said...

Someone just needs a good doctor and after this a good history book. By the way in the last 17 years Iran is the only one that suffered no attacks despite the us puppet regimes. Poor anonymous 06:28