Russia Confirms Bomb Brought Down Metrojet in Saini - UPDATE

‘This Was a Terrorist Act’

Alexander Bortnikov, the head of FSB, Russia’s state security organization, said today that a homemade explosive device brought down the Metrojet 9268 over Saini Peninsula.

“According to our experts, a homemade explosive device equivalent to 1 kilogram of TNT went off onboard, which caused the plane to break up in the air, explaining why the fuselage was scattered over such a large territory. I can certainly say that this was a terrorist act,” Bortnikov said. (AP, 17 November)

The Islamic State has claimed responsibility for downing the Russian plane in written statements, as well as video and audio messages posted on the Internet following the 31 October crash that killed all 224 people onboard. ISIL said the attack was retaliation against Russia’s air campaign the organization in Syria.

Meanwhile, Russian President Putin vowed to hunt down those responsible for the terrorist attack and punish them. Putin added that the air campaign in Syria “should not only be continued but should be intensified.” He instructed the Defense Ministry and General Staff to present their plans on how Russia’s operation in Syria could be modified.

“We will act in accordance to the UN Charter Article 51, which gives each country the right to self-defense,” Putin said. (AP, 17 November)

UPDATE: Russia conducted several strikes in Raqqa on Tuesday. Fox News quoting a defense official in the region said the strikes included cruise missiles and possibly long-range bombers. The assault on ISIL’s capital in Syria came hours after Russia confirmed that a bomb brought down a Russian passenger jet in Sinai. ISIL has taken responsibility for bringing down Metrojet 9268 on 31 October. 

Photo credit: A Russian investigator walks near wreckage a day after Metrojet Airbus 321-200 bound for St. Petersburg, Russia, crashed in Saini Peninsula, Egypt. (Amr Nabil/AP)

Paris Attacks Update

French authorities today identified two men they believe were responsible for planning and launching the terrorist attacks in Paris that left 129 people dead. Officials believe Salim Benghalem, a French national who joined ISIL several years ago, directed Abdelhamid Abaaoud, an ISIL activist and a Belgian national, to orchestrate Friday’s rampage. (NPR, 16 November)

Three teams of assailants, using automatic weapons and explosive suicide vests, targeted six sites across Paris, including the national stadium, a crowded concert hall and several restaurants. The Islamic State has taken responsibility for the terrorist attacks. And French President Francois Hollande said in a speech before both houses of Parliament that France was at war with ISIL.

Meanwhile, Secretary of State John Kerry arrived in Paris this afternoon in a show of solidarity with the French. Kerry is scheduled to meet with French officials.

Top photo: The Eiffel Tower illuminated in blue, white and red (Twitter)
Bottom photo: People gather in front of Paris City Hall, and throughout France, to hold a minute of silence; Monday 16 November 2015 (Christophe Petit Tesson/EPA/LANDOV/NPR) 

France Launches Fierce Assault on ISIL Positions in Syria

The French Ministry of Defense announced massive airstrikes against Islamic State stronghold of Raqqa, ISIL’s center in Syria. The strikes began a day after ISIL claimed responsibility for the coordinated terrorist attacks in Paris that killed at least 129 people and wounding many more.

A French Defense Ministry statement said the operations were launched from bases in the UAE and Jordan and was conducted in coordination with U.S. forces, which have been conducting repeated airstrikes against ISIL in and around Raqqa.

Meanwhile in Baghdad, Iraqi Foreign Minister Ibrahim al-Jafari said Iraqi intelligence had obtained information before the Paris attacks that the Islamic State was planning an imminent strikes overseas that may have been aimed at France, the United States, and Iran.

In Tehran, Iranian Minister of Intelligence Mahmoud Alavi warned the recent ISIL attacks in Paris and Beirut are “a serious alarm to us too.” Alavi added Iran is exercising more “vigilance.”

Islamic State Claims Responsibility for Paris Attacks

Hollande: ‘An Act of War’

The Islamic State today said it was behind a series of bomb blasts and shootings that have left at least 129 people dead and more than 350 wounded in central Paris on Friday night.

French President Francois Hollande described the attacks as “an act of war” by the terrorist group. Speaking after an emergency security meeting, Hollande said Friday’s attacks were “committed by a terrorist army, the Islamic State group, a jihadist army, against France, against the values that we defend everywhere in the world, against what we are: A free country that means something to the whole planet.”

Hollande vowed to hit back against the militants. “France will be pitiless concerning the barbarity of Daesh,” the French president said.

Photo: French President Francois Hollande addressing the nation after Paris Attacks (France24)

Kurdish Forces Capture Sinjar

Kurdish President Barzani Declares Victory

UPDATE: Kurdish President Masoud Barzani announced on Friday that Sinjar has been captured from ISIL.

*****

Kurdish forces entered the center of Sinjar in a lightening defeat of the Islamic State. AP reported that the Kurdish fighters have taken control of central Sinjar. Photos published by Rudaw news agency show Peshmerga fighters walking in streets of Sinjar on Friday. Kurdish flags are raised over key buildings in the city.

Peshmerga forces have entered Sinjar “from all direction,” said a statement by regional Kurdish Security Council. “ISIL is defeated and on the run,” the statement added. The Peshmerga began clearing the town of Islamic State fighters and explosives. The cleanup operation might take days.

The offensive to retake Sinjar began in earnest on Thursday, with some 7,500 Kurdish fighters closed in on three fronts after the U.S.-led coalition warplanes heavily bombed Islamic State positions, command-and-control facilities and weapons depots. Within hours they had successfully blocked Highway 47, the main line of communications between Mosul, to the east, and Raqqa to the west, ISIL command centers in Iraq and Syria respectively.

Photo credit: Peshmerga forces in streets of Sinjar; Friday, 13 November 2015 (Rudaw)

Map credit: BBC

‘Jihadi John’ Killed in U.S. Airstrike

Mohammed Emwazi, known as “Jihadi John,” the ISIL terrorist seen in numerous beheading videos, was targeted and reportedly killed on Thursday in a U.S. drone strike near Raqqa, Syria.

The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights (SOHR) said four ISIL fighters, including a leader with British nationality, were killed by coalition airstrike.

Emwazi took part in the murders of U.S. journalists Steven Sotloff and James Foley, U.S. aid worker Abdul-Rahman Kassig, British aid workers David Haines and Alan Henning, Japanese journalist Kenji Goto, and other hostages, the Pentagon said.

British Prime Minister David Cameron said Britain had been working “hand in glove” with the U.S. over “Jihadi John” drone strike.

ISIL Claims Responsibility for Mosque Attack

28 Dead in Sanaa Attack

The Yemen’s branch of the Islamic State claimed responsibility for two bombings today at a Shia mosque in northern Sanaa, killing 28 people and wounding 75. (Saba News Agency/Reuters, 2 September)

The al-Moayyad Mosque, run by the Houthis, has previously been targeted by ISIL, who regards the Houthis as heretics.

The Houthis, or the Ansar Allah, took control of Sanaa by force last September, starting a civil war in Yemen that was escalated in March when a coalition of Arab states, led by Saudi Arabia and the UAE, intervened militarily to retake territories captured by the insurgents. More than 4,500 people have been killed in the conflict since Sanaa takeover a year ago.

File photo: The scene after a deadly attack at al-Moayyad Mosque in March 2015. Today ISIL took responsibility for double bombings targeting the same mosque; 28 people killed, 75 wounded.

Iraqi Lawmakers Blame Nouri Al-Maliki, Former Senior Officials, for Fall of Mosul

Iraqi lawmakers have called for former Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki and other senior political and security officials in his government to go on trial for the fall of Mosul to Islamic State insurgents last year. A number of members of Iraqi parliamentary committee of investigation into the fall of Mosul confirmed on Sunday that al-Maliki’s name was among those they intend to refer to court. (Reuters/DW, 16 August)

The report detailing the committee’s findings was presented to the parliamentary speaker, Salim al-Juburi, who said he would pass it on to Iraq’s prosecutor general for possible legal action.

“No one is above the law and accountability to the people,” Jaburi said in a statement after receiving the report, which was approved by 16 votes of the committee’s 24 members.

Reuters reported other officials named in the report include the former governor of Mosul, Atheel al-Nujaifi, former acting Defense Minister Sadoun al-Dulaimi, the former head of the army, Gen. Babakir Zebari, and Lt. Gen. Mahdi al-Gharrawi, the former operational commander of Nineveh province, of which Mosul is the capital.

ISIL insurgents launched an offensive on Mosul, Iraq’s second largest city, on 9 June 2014 and overran it a day later. A number of Iraqi army divisions collapsed during the initial assault and fled, abandoning weapons and heavy equipment, which was then captured by ISIL fighters.

File photo: Former Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki (Al Arabiya)

U.S. Deploy F-16s to Turkish Airbase for Counter-ISIL Operations

The United States deployed a detachment of F-16 warplanes at a Turkish base to support operations against the Islamic States. Last week Turkey decided to host the deployment of U.S. aircraft conducting counter-ISIL operations.

Six U.S. Air Force F-16 Fighting Falcons today arrived at Incirlik Air Base, Turkey, along with support equipment and approximately 300 personnel, U.S. European Command announced. The detachment is from the 31^st Fighter Wing based at Aviano Air Base, Italy.

Photo credit: F-16 Fighting Falcons as they arrive at Incirlik Air Base, Turkey; 9 August 2015 (U.S. Air Force/AFP)

Iraqi Security Forces Assault ISIL in Ramadi

Iraqi government forces have begun assaulting Islamic State insurgents based at the University of Anbar campus in the city of Ramadi. The university complex serves as a key command headquarters for ISIL in the city.

The Iraqi Security Force offensive in Ramadi, backed by U.S.-led airstrikes on ISIL positions, is part of the government’s operations to retake Anbar province. Concurrently, Hashd Shaabi or the PMF, the predominantly Shia militias, under the command of Iran’s Quds Force, and backed by Iraqi air force, have been conducting operations around Fallujah in the past few weeks in an attempt to retake the city, but have faced stiff resistance from ISIL. UPI reported that dozens of militiamen were killed near Fallujah last week.

Photo credit: An Iraqi Security Force soldier takes position near the Green Zone in Baghdad; 26 July 2015 (Mitchell Prothero/UPI)

ISIL Seizes Key Syria-Iraq Border Crossing

Islamic State insurgents have seized al-Tanf, the last Syrian government-controlled border crossing between Syria and Iraq, after government forces withdrew from the area, BBC reported. The loss of al-Tanf, known as al-Waleed in Iraq, enables ISIL to link up its positions in east-central Syria more directly with the ground they hold in western Anbar in Iraq.

Meanwhile inside Iraq, ISIL forces reportedly were pressing eastward from Ramadi down the Euphrates toward Habbaniya where Shia militias and some Sunni tribes are massing for a proposed counterattack on Ramadi. ISIL overran Iraqi government defensive line in Husaiba, east of Ramadi, earlier today. Ramadi fell to the insurgents on Sunday.

Back in Syria, ISIL consolidated its hold over the city of Palmyra on Thursday and have now entered the UNESCO World Heritage site of Palmyra and its ancient ruins. Its possible destruction in the hands of the militants will be “an enormous loss to humanity,” UNESCO said today. ISIL is now in control of the city’s airport, infamous prison, and intelligence HQ, the Syrian Observatory reported from Palmyra. The city lies on a strategic route through the desert.

Photo above: ISIL fighters at al-Tanf border crossing (AP/BBC)
Bottom photo: The ancient site of Palmyra (AFP)

Ramadi Falls

City of Ramadi on Sunday fell to the Islamic State. Ramadi, the capital of Anbar and the birthplace of Sunni tribal Awakening, fell after Iraqi security forces – army and police – flee from the city, news agencies reported. ISIL announced Sunday night it had captured Ramadi. The loss is a massive defeat to Iraq and its allies and shows the resiliency of the insurgency in the country. In April, ISIL suffered its biggest defeat in Tikrit. Now it has returned with its most significant victory since it captured Mosul nearly a year ago.

Map: CNN

Photo: ISIL photo published in social media showing its fighters in front of the grand mosque in the center of Ramadi (Twitter/@awaisafzalch)
Video: People in Mosul celebrating ISIL capture of Ramadi! (YouTube)

  

ISIL Seize Ramadi Operations Command Center

On Brink of Capturing the City

AFP quoting Iraqi officials reported today that on Sunday ISIL took the provincial operations command center in Ramadi, putting the insurgents on the brink of capturing the city.

AFP also reported that an estimated 500 civilians and Iraqi troops have been killed in intense fighting in Ramadi. ISIL used a wave of suicide car bombs Thursday and Friday to take over most of the city. Ramadi Police Colonel Jabbar al-Assafi told AFP that government forces have withdrawn from Ramadi city. “The security forces – army and police – have pulled out of Ramadi. They headed to the main highway west of the city,” al-Assafi said. (AFP, 17 May)

“Daesh (ISIL) has just taken full control of all main security bases… Army and police and all forces that were stationed at the Anbar operations center have pulled out,” an army lieutenant colonel who was among the troops that pulled out of command center told AFP.

Photo credit: Photo released by ISIL show a fighter near the grand mosque in central Ramadi (Twitter/@awaisafzich)

ISIL Captures Government Compound in Ramadi

ISIL today seized the main government compound in the center of Ramadi and raised its flag over the central building. Iraqi security forces are reportedly remaining only in a few pockets in the city. The city, however, is still contested. There has been a flurry of U.S.-led airstrikes on ISIL positions in last several hours. Meanwhile, Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi said in a televised address that security forces “will retake Ramadi in the next few hours.”

Capture of the government compound and the city center is a huge victory for ISIL. The fall of Ramadi, the capital of Anbar, will be their biggest victory in Iraq since they captured Mosul nearly a year ago.

Photo credit: ISIL flags at government compound in the center of Ramadi, Iraq; 15 May 2015 (AJE)

Iraqi Forces Slowed by Bombs, Snipers in Tikrit

Iran-led coalition of predominantly Shia militias (PMF) and Iraqi Security Forces (ISF) came under heavy mortar shelling, sniper and machine-gun fire by ISIL insurgents in northwest of Tikrit today. The army and the militias struggled to advance from parts of the city they captured yesterday, Reuters reported.

The insurgents still hold the presidential palace and at least three other districts in the center of Tikrit, an Iraqi military source told Reuters. ISIL has also booby-trapped abandoned buildings.

Despite lack of progress on Thursday, the Iraqi Defense Minister Khaled al-Obeidi said on a visit to the frontline that operations were going according to plan.

“Now the second phase of the battle commences,” Obeidi told state TV Iraqiya. “All branches of the security forces are engaged in the battle as well as (Sunni) tribal fighters and the Hashid Shaabi (predominantly Shia PMF).” The minister did not mention the Quds Force leading role in the fighting.

More than 20,000 Iran-led Shia militia and nearly 5,000 Iraqi security forces and elements of Sunni tribes launched the biggest ground offensive to date against ISIL to liberate Tikrit 10 days ago. On Tuesday, they took the strategic town of al-Alam on the northern edge of Tikrit, paving the way for the attack on the city itself.

Photo credit: Shia militia fighters walk after an explosive-laden military vehicle driven by an ISIL suicide bomber exploded during an attack on the southern edge of Tikrit; 12 March 2015 (Thaier Al-Sudani/Reuters)

Iraqi Shia Militia and Security Forces Retake Al-Alam

Major Victory for General Soleimani

Iran-led coalition of Iraq’s People’s Mobilization Forces (PMF), the umbrella organization of the country’s predominantly Shia militias, Iraqi Security Forces (ISF), elements of Sunni tribal fighters and the Quds Force advisers and personnel, under the command of Quds Force Commander General Qasem Soleimani, today retook the town of al-Alam, on the northern edge of Tikrit.

The coalition had already blocked ISIL’s positions north, south, and west of Tikrit, and has now encircled the city held by ISIL insurgents. The recapture of al-Alam was the immediate goal of the operation, which would be used as the staging ground to enter into Tikrit City. This is a major victory for Soleimani and his forces.

Photo credit: PMF and ISF fighters preparing to launch mortar shells and rockets against ISIL positions outside Tikrit; 4 March 2015 (AP)

ISIL Launches Major Assault Near Erbil - UPDATE

UPDATE (Wednesday 18FEB15): The Peshmerga drive back ISIL assault near Erbil allowing air strikes to begin.

The Islamic State insurgents launched a major assault on an area near the Kurdish towns of Gwer and Makhmour, some 45 km (28 miles) from the Kurdish capital of Erbil. The attack started at 9 p.m. local time on Tuesday (1 p.m. EST). The sophisticated nighttime assault came from several directions. (CNN, 17 February)

Coalition aircraft were in the area, but they had so far been unable to fire on ISIL units because of the close proximity of ISIL insurgents and Peshmerga defenders.

Kurdish officials were quoted by CNN as saying they were concerned ISIL fighters could break through their lines. If that happens, there would be little standing between ISIL and the Kurdish capital.

The Peshmerga forces recently have been trying to surround Mosul to cut off ISIL’s lines of communication from Syria and ISIL could be attacking near Erbil to draw already stretched Kurdish forces in many different directions to relieve pressure on Mosul, CNN said.

File photo: The citadel and the City Park in the center of the Kurdish capital of Erbil (Reuters)

ISIL Takes Control of Anbar City of Al-Baghdadi

Islamic State insurgents took control on Thursday of most of the western Iraqi city of al-Baghdadi, about 85 km (50 miles) northwest of Ramadi in Anbar province, Reuters reported. The town had been besieged for months by ISIL.

“Ninety percent of al-Baghdadi district has fallen under the control of the insurgents,” district manager Naji Arak said. (Reuters, 12 February)

ISIL fighters attacked al-Baghdadi from two directions earlier today and later advanced on the town.

The insurgents are now only five kilometers from Ain al-Asad airbase, where U.S. marines are training members of the Iraqi Army 7th Division. Pentagon spokeswoman Elissa Smith confirmed the fighting at al-Baghdadi, but said the airbase did not come under direct fire. She added there were reports of ineffective indirect fire in the vicinity of the base.

Map credit: Business Insider

Jordan Intensifies Airstrikes against ISIL

Royal Jordanian Air Force (RJAF) F-16 fighter jets today intensified their air campaign against ISIL, carrying out airstrikes both in Syria and Iraq. The attacks came a day after King Abdullah pledged to step up the fight against ISIL after the terrorist organization burned Jordanian pilot Lt. Moaz al-Kasasbeh in a cage and released a video of the killing earlier this week.

The airstrikes against ISIL positions inside Iraq came as a surprise, as it was thought that Jordan only targeted the insurgents in Syria. But Jordanian Foreign Minister Nasser Judeh told Fox News today that Jordan has indeed carried out strikes inside Iraq before and today’s attacks were just an intensification of its military campaign against ISIL.

After returning from their mission, the warplanes roared overhead as King Abdullah was paying a condolences visit to the family of the late pilot in his village in southern Jordan. Associated Press reported that the king pointed at the planes as he sat next to the Lt. Kasasbeh’s father.

File photo: RJAF F-16A (near) and F-16B in a 2009 photo (Wikipedia photo)

Moaz al-Kasasbeh, Jordanian Pilot Hostage, Burned Alive

ISIL Barbarity Has No Bounds

Jordan has confirmed the death of Lt Moaz al-Kasasbeh after an ISIL video showed the terrorist organization has burned him alive. The footage shows a man in a cage and engulfed in flames. Jordan vowed punishment and revenge, and Jordan’s King Abdullah on a visit to Washington is cutting his trip short to return to Amman.

Lt Kasasbeh was 26 and had been held hostage since his plane came down on 24 December.

File photo: Lt Moaz al-Kasasbeh (EPA/BBC)