20th June: David Petraeus, the former commander of US forces in Iraq: “We must be careful not to take sides if we offer military support. But the growing threat posed by ISIS (Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant, or ISIL) means that military action will be necessary, we must realize that ISIS poses a threat not only to Iraq but to the UK and other countries as well.”
20th June: Sistani’s Friday statement on any future government: “an effective government that enjoys broad national support, avoids past mistakes and opens new horizons toward a better future for all Iraqis.”
20th June: Recruitment videos targeting Western Muslims, specifically those residing in the UK have been posted by Daash. British Muslim student Naseer Muthana has been identified. His father states that his other son is also believed to be fighting for Daash.
20th June: Two men are arrested in Houston, Texas. They were trying to make their way to Syria through Turkey and fight for Daash.
21st June: the founder of the Islamic Army of Iraq, Sheikh Ahmad al-Dabash on why his fighters fight alongside Daash. He claims “We brought them in to defend our religion, our money, our land and our people.”
“Is it possible that a few hundred Isis jihadists can take the whole of Mosul? No. All the Sunni tribes have come out against Maliki. And there are parts of the military, Baathists from the time of Saddam Hussein, clerics, everyone came out for the oppression that we have been suffering.”
Watch the full video.
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/middleeast/iraq/10914521/Iraq-militant-leader-why-we-are-fighting-with-Isis.html
21st June: the Qaim border crossing between Iraq and Syria, 200 miles west of Baghdad, has been over run by Daash and it’s allies. Thirty government soldiers are reported killed.
A military commander of the Iraqi Security Forces, Majeed Al Fahdawi of the 28th Brigade, is killed in clashes with Daash.
21st June: Cracks begin to show. Daash fighters clashed with fighters belonging to the Army of the Men of the Nakshabandi (JRTN) order in Kirkuk. The fighting between allies left 8 Dassh and 9 Nakshawbandi fighters dead. The fighting was either over booty (fuel tankers) or Daash’s insistence on booty. The clashes took place south of Kirkuk, in the Tal-al-bagel area of Hawija district.
Sayf al-Din al-Mashhadani, a senior member of the Ba’ath party and currently a commander in the Nakshabandi army is kidnapped by Daash fighters in a turf/influence tussle.
21st June: Tribes around the city of Baghdad have rejected extremist groups. The conference attended by the clans was organised by the 9th Armour Brigade and was attended by Gen Qassim Jassim
21st June: US Intelligence agencies are claimed that they had warned both Maliki and Obama that the former’s policies were isolating the Sunnis and would lead to a backlash.
21st June: An excellent video by the BBC, shows Kurdish fighters engaging Daash. At the end it also shows a Sunni family that has fleas Shia militias.
http://www.bbc.com/news/world-middle-east-27952465
Kurdish fighters force surrendering Daash fighters to strip for fear of suicide bombings. A Kudish intelligence officers warns the West of consequences of inaction against Daash fighters.
21st June: According to the Shia, Ibrahim Izzat Al Douri is Saudi’s man in Iraq:
http://www.almanar.com.lb/english/adetails.php?eid=157672&cid=23&fromval=1&frid=23&seccatid=24&s1=1
21st June: Security forces are calling in air strikes to dislodge militants from five villages in Muqdadiyah district, 35 kilometres north east of Baqouba, Ditala province. The militants have taken positions in orchards surrounding the villages and are using shippers to stop advancing troops. The Security forces have cordoned off the area and are awaiting airstrikes.
21st: Turkey has leaked information to local Turkish press that the 32 Turkish drivers kidnapped in Mosul were not abducted by Daash, but some other militant group.
21st June: Tuz Khurmato in Salahuddin province has now come under Kurdish control. Of federal forces stationed there, only 50 had not fled the onslaught last week. The area under Kurdish control has increased by 40% since the conflict started.
21st June: Israel has imported a tanker of crude oil from Iraqi Kudistan. The PM office in Baghdad has strongly protested. The oil was delivered by the tanker SCF Altai to Ashkelon. The links between the Kurds and Israel are believed to go back decades. During the Yom Kippur war the Kurds opened up a front against Saddam and prevented him from engaging the Israelis.
21st June: Moqtada As Sadr has reactivated his Mahdi militia. Over 50000 Shia militiamen loyal to Moqtada Sadr have come out armed and in military attire in a show of strength parade in Baghdad. Similar parades are being reported in other cities in the Shia south. A small parade was also held in Kirkuk.
Some fighters were carrying shaped charges that were used very effectively against British armour in the South. The same shaped charges are used in Afghanistan. The supper heated copper balls that they form are believed to cut through Chobham/reactive armour like a hot knife through butter, believed to originate in Iran.
21st June: Indian Media is reporting that over 3000 Shia volunteers have expressed a desire to travel to Iraq. They have approached the Iraqi Embassy and informed them that they are available if and when the need arises.
21st June: The Pentagon confirms that a small number of troops of the Iranian Qods force are fighting in Iraq.
21st June: Meetings of Salafi Islamists are held in Lebanon to determine if a similar Sunni state as has been carved out in Syria and Iraq can be repeated there.