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Iraqi forces advance against ISIL in Mosul but suffer losses in south

 

 

MOSUL: -- The Iraqi army says it has made gradual progress in eastern Mosul as it tries to wrestle the city from the control of the so-called Islamic State.

 

Civilians have continued to flee one district which was retaken by the military.

 

The fourth day of the renewed push against the militants saw advances on the eastern and southeastern fronts.

 

The operation has removed ISIL fighters from several areas despite strong resistance.

 

“On the fourth day, our troops were able to liberate the Intisar neighbourhood as well as the Saha neighbourhood. They are now clearing the Salam neighbourhood, they are clashing with the enemy. Large numbers of our enemy were killed yesterday,” said a federal police officer, Major General Raed Chaker Jawdat.

 

But while government forces in northern Iraq focus on ousting ISIL from its last major stronghold in the country, to the south came another reminder of the militants’ capacity to strike.

 

Seven policemen were killed near Najaf as gunmen and a suicide car bomber attacked a police checkpoint.

 

It came a day after bombs killed nearly 30 people in Baghdad.

 

-- © Copyright Euronews 2017-01-02

[The Deerhunter]

If they are fleeing districts retaken by government forces then I suspect that they are not civilians. More likely IS JihadI. A beard and AK47 hidden under every face scarf and robe.

Edited January 2, 2017 by The Deerhunter

[Morch]

4 hours ago, The Deerhunter said:

If they are fleeing districts retaken by government forces then I suspect that they are not civilians. More likely IS JihadI. A beard and AK47 hidden under every face scarf and robe.

 

Based on what happened in other places, civilians might fear some of their supposed liberators as well.

[The Deerhunter]

6 hours ago, Morch said:

 

Based on what happened in other places, civilians might fear some of their supposed liberators as well.

Yes, just being the wrong flavour of Islam can be deadly in some places.  But in Iraq, one would hope Iraqi citizens would not be fleeing the Iraq army as a matter of course. Unlike Syria which is a slightly different situation (I think).  But I am not an expert on Iraqi politics.  The comment struck me as suspicious.

[Scott]

3 hours ago, The Deerhunter said:

Yes, just being the wrong flavour of Islam can be deadly in some places.  But in Iraq, one would hope Iraqi citizens would not be fleeing the Iraq army as a matter of course. Unlike Syria which is a slightly different situation (I think).  But I am not an expert on Iraqi politics.  The comment struck me as suspicious.

Iraq is a political construct from a bygone era and the citizens of Iraq have never developed the same type of nationalism or loyalty to the nation-state that we see in a lot of countries.   They have had some pretty nasty leaders, they are religiously divided between Sunni/Shiite (as well as a few very minor religious groups), they are ethnically divided, primarily Kurds and Arabs, but also Turkomen anda few others.  

 

Loyalty tends to be much more closely aligned with tribal groupings than the nation as a whole.   The Kurds are fierce fighters, but they are almost always fighting for other Kurds, the Kurdish homeland or some abstraction of their own identity.   You don't see them fighting for the country of Iraq, in general.   

 

With military groups from countries without a strong national identity, the level of patriotism is lower.   It was well known that the Republican Guards went behind the troups and shot those who were deserting.  

 

Making it even less appealing, Mosul is more-or-less is a Kurdish area.   Nationally it is a major oil area, but that gets into the concept of nation-state and that doesn't appeal to the average Iraqi.  

 

Syrians are a little more loyal to Syria as a nation because they have spent much more time isolated from some of the neighbors.   They are not Turkish and they have a different language than the Turks.   The Syrians were at major odds with the Iraqi's for many years and there were not even border crossings between the two countries.  

 

Turkey has a long history of nationalism and this was largely started by Attaturk and is reinforced by the military.   It's not unlike Thailand in that regard.  

[simple1]

3 hours ago, The Deerhunter said:

Yes, just being the wrong flavour of Islam can be deadly in some places.  But in Iraq, one would hope Iraqi citizens would not be fleeing the Iraq army as a matter of course. Unlike Syria which is a slightly different situation (I think).  But I am not an expert on Iraqi politics.  The comment struck me as suspicious.

 

The Iraqi Govt had previously promised not to permit Shia militias to operate in the Mosul area because of their history of abuse and murder, but...

 

The URL below is a story of a town close to Mosul.

 

http://foreignpolicy.com/2016/11/18/shiite-militias-are-crashing-the-mosul-offensive/

[The Deerhunter]

11 hours ago, Scott said:

Iraq is a political construct from a bygone era and the citizens of Iraq have never developed the same type of nationalism or loyalty to the nation-state that we see in a lot of countries.   They have had some pretty nasty leaders, they are religiously divided between Sunni/Shiite (as well as a few very minor religious groups), they are ethnically divided, primarily Kurds and Arabs, but also Turkomen anda few others.  

 

Loyalty tends to be much more closely aligned with tribal groupings than the nation as a whole.   The Kurds are fierce fighters, but they are almost always fighting for other Kurds, the Kurdish homeland or some abstraction of their own identity.   You don't see them fighting for the country of Iraq, in general.   

 

With military groups from countries without a strong national identity, the level of patriotism is lower.   It was well known that the Republican Guards went behind the troups and shot those who were deserting.  

 

Making it even less appealing, Mosul is more-or-less is a Kurdish area.   Nationally it is a major oil area, but that gets into the concept of nation-state and that doesn't appeal to the average Iraqi.  

 

Syrians are a little more loyal to Syria as a nation because they have spent much more time isolated from some of the neighbors.   They are not Turkish and they have a different language than the Turks.   The Syrians were at major odds with the Iraqi's for many years and there were not even border crossings between the two countries.  

 

Turkey has a long history of nationalism and this was largely started by Attaturk and is reinforced by the military.   It's not unlike Thailand in that regard.  

Here ender the lesson? I knew some/most of that but thanks anyway. Good summary.