Iraq: Iran-led Coalition Forces Recapture Baiji

A Decisive Victory against ISIL

Iran-led coalition of PMF forces, the Iraqi militias under the command of Iran’s Quds Force, and Iraqi security forces have reportedly recaptured Baiji city center today. Late last week, they took complete control of Baiji Refinery complex. The capture of Baiji city is a decisive victory for the Quds Force-led forces and will give them the opportunity to advance north toward Mosul.

Photo credit: Iran-led PMF/ISF forces walking in the city center of Baiji (@Conflicts/Twitter)

Iran-led Coalition Forces Recapture Baiji City - UPDATE

UPDATE: Announcements by the Iraqi defense ministry and  Hash al-Shaabi (PMF) spokesmen were premature. The city of Baiji and the area surrounding it are not recaptured and remain contested.

Iran-led Shia militias with support from the Iraqi security forces have recaptured the city of Baiji. ISIL fighters withdrew from the city center on Sunday and were retreating toward Mosul while under intense air attack.

“We can announce that Baiji city is completely liberated and the Iraqi flag was raised over the governor building,” said Muhammed al-Eqbali, a spokesman for Hash al-Shaabi, the umbrella organization for the militias. (CNN, 7 June)

Brig. Gen. Tahseen Ibrahim, a spokesman for Iraqi defense ministry, confirmed the recapture of the city.

“Forces have cleansed and are in control of government complex, (Baiji) city center, Fatah mosque and surrounding neighborhoods,” Ibrahim said.

General Ibrahim also thanked U.S.-led coalition for “significant role” supporting Iraqi ground forces during the Baiji operation, without specifying what kind of support the forces received.

Liberation of Baiji city is a major defeat for the Islamic State and will pave the way for the control of nearby Baiji Oil Refinery and recapture of Ramadi.

Photo credit: Shia militia and Iraqi security forces during their offensive to retake Baiji city. (Ahmad al-Rubaye/AFP/Getty Images)  

Battle to Retake Baiji Refinery

Iran-led Shia militias accompanied by Iraqi security forces (ISF) are involved in heavy fighting today to retake the country’s largest oil refinery in Baiji. ISIL holds large section of the sprawling refinery complex.

“We stormed a building inside the Baiji refinery with the support of Hashid Shaabi [Iran-led Popular Mobilization Forces – PMF]. As you can see, we are inside the refinery now. God willing, within the coming few hours, we will liberate the whole refinery and the area outside the refinery with the help of Almighty God,” a member of Iraqi security forces told Al Jazeera TV. (Al Jazeera, 28 May)

Smoke could be seen as the PMF and ISF forces advanced toward the facility, Al Jazeera reported

PMF officials said earlier today that an area of 50km south of the town of Baiji has been retaken. Control of the refinery has been hotly contested for months. Iraqi forces have recaptured the refinery twice before, but lost it to ISIL. This time the Iran-led coalition forces are to recapture and hold the refinery.

File photo: Smoke rising from Baiji Oil Refinery (CNN)

Iran Military Participating in Fight to Retake Baiji

Iranian forces have taken a significant offensive role in the recent days in the fight to retake the major Iraqi oil refinery in Baiji. Iran was contributing small numbers of troops, including some operating artillery and other heavy weapons in support of advancing Iraqi ground forces. A large number of Iraqi Shia militias under the Iranian command are also taking part in the fight. The U.S.-led coalition has conducted intense airstrikes against ISIL positions in the area in the past week. (AP, 22 May) 

In late March, Iranian forces withdrew from the Battle of Tikrit to protest Prime Minister Abadi’s decision to invite the U.S. to conduct airstrikes against ILIS positions in the city. With the worsening security situation in Iraq, however, the Iranians are back to provide major support to Iraqi forces in the fight against ISIL, notwithstanding continued U.S. airstrikes in the area.

Photo: Smoke rising from Baiji Oil Refinery after an attack by ISIL insurgents in a 2004 file photo (AP/Business Insider)   

Iraq Update

The Islamic State insurgents have retaken control of the central city of Baiji after the Iraqi military ordered its forces to retreat to the nearby refinery. The Iraqi forces, with the help of Iranian-backed Shia militias, had taken city from ISIL only last month. The militants posted a number of photos on the Internet, showing captured and destroyed armored vehicles, including M-1 tanks and Humvees, as well as weapons and ammunition that were abandoned by fleeing Iraqi forces. (The Long War Journal, 18 December)

Recapturing of Baiji was a major victory for ISIL after a string loses in recent weeks. Before retaking Baiji, however, ISIL also took control of some towns near Samarra. The Iraqi military and Shia militias had ejected ISIL from Jurf al-Sakhar, Amirli and Jalula, and the Peshmerga had retaken several northern towns. 

On Thursday, the Peshmerga, backed by U.S.-led coalition airstrikes, retook large swath of territory between Kurdish autonomous region and Sinjar, and are poised to retake the city of Sinjar in the next few days. 

Meantime, the Pentagon said hundreds of U.S. troops are now deployed in the restive Anbar province. About 350 troops are stationed at Al Asad Air Base. The force is composed of advisors and support personnel, as well as a force protection contingent, Stars and Stripes reported on Thursday. The troops on the ground are helping the Iraqi Army’s 7^th Division, stationed in Anbar, with developing strategies, mission planning and coordinating close air support operations.

Photo credit: Scene of battle at Baiji in a photo released by ISIL (The Long War Journal)