August 17, 2016
Today’s Major Developments
UN estimates that 30% of Daesh foreign terrorists have gone home. […]
Daesh attacks Tarmiya government headquarters. […]
Iraqi Air Force launches F-16 airstrikes on Daesh in Al-Qa’im. […]
Daesh executions continue in Mosul. […]
Opposition fighters seize Syrian border city of Al-Ra’i from Daesh. […]
US airstrikes continue to hit Daesh in Sirte, Libya. […]
REPORTS FROM IRAQ
NATIONAL NEWS
Prime Minister Abadi’s spokesman says any conflict regarding the disputed areas should be postponed, and the focus should be on winning the war against Daesh. He also says the Iraqi Government will not accept the fait accompli on the ground in Ninewa. The KRG has announced that the Peshmerga will continue its advances in Ninewa and will not withdraw from the areas it controls. [Rudaw]
Meanwhile, the Chairman of the Security Committee in Ninewa Provincial Council says the council will begin a referendum in the areas liberated by the Peshmerga in Ninewa to decide if they want to join the KRG. [SotKurdistan]
DaeshDaily comment. This maneuvering is not surprising but it is seriously troubling. The largest risk in the Mosul campaign is not whether Daesh will be defeated but whether Ninewa or parts of it will get stolen from Iraq after Daesh is defeated. Any referendum in this situation, or any call for a referendum, though it may sound democratic, is an ill-disguised power play. This fait accompli approach should be publicly rejected by the US. Apparently the private communications didn’t quite work.
Prime Minister Abadi issued a statement saying he respects the judicial decisions and the separation between the executive and judicial powers. Abadi had said that he was surprised that the judicial investigation of Speaker Jubouri went so fast. This got a swift response from Jubouri, who said he was surprised that the Prime Minister interferes in judicial issues. [Sumaria]
The UN says about 30% of Daesh foreign terrorists have returned to their home countries from Iraq and Syria, especially after the current Daesh losses. However, they now pose a threat to national security in those countries. It says that some of these terrorists are ready to carry out terrorist attacks, as happened in Paris and Brussels. [IraqPress]
The Coalition says it conducted 6 airstrikes on Daesh targets in Iraq, one each in the areas of Hit and Ramadi and four around Mosul. [InherentResolve]
Commentary
An August 16 opinion piece in War on the Rocks, under a pseudonym, slams numerous experts and commentators for looking at the conflicts in Syria and Iraq from an overly sectarian perspective, argued to be misleading and dangerous. We disagree with several points in the article, but we agree with its main point.
In Iraq, a new and vulnerable democratic system has not yet produced a real layer of statesman, or overcome its corruption, or established a real rule of law. Sectarianism is only one of its problems.
In Syria, the Baathists, supported by Iran and Russia, want to stay in power at all costs; Saudi Arabia and Turkey want to overthrow that regime, at all costs; the jihadis want to have emirates in the heart of the Middle East, at all costs; the PKK wants to establish a formal Kurdish region next to southeastern Turkey, at all costs. The costs are being paid by people from all sects and ethnic groups in Syria. [WarOnTheRocks]
BAGHDAD
Security-related incidents reported
North (Tarmiya, Taji, etc.)
The Baghdad Operations Command says that after Daesh attacked an Iraqi soldier at a checkpoint in Tarmiya, Iraqi forces found a Daesh hideout in the area. He says one of the terrorists trapped in the hideout detonated his explosives vest, killing himself and 2 other terrorists. Two Iraqi soldiers were slightly wounded. [Harbi]
Daesh’s version says 3 of its suicide terrorists, from Iraq, Tajikistan, and Turkmenistan, entered the Tarmiya mayoralty building, and clashed for hours with the Iraqi forces, then detonated their explosives vests, killing more than sixteen people, wounding others, and destroying large parts of the building. [DawaAlhaq]
DaeshDaily comment. And how would terrorists from Central Asia get into the building? If true, the security in Iraq is still weak and unable to prevent such incidents.
An MoI source says one policeman was killed and two policemen and three civilians wounded when a parked taxi exploded near a check point in Bub Al-Sham. [Mada]
Iraqi Army 22nd brigade defused 2 IEDs in the Al-Wawi area. [BOC Facebook Page]
Northeast (Adhamiya, etc.)
An MoI source says unknown armed men killed a car dealership owner, his wife, and two of his children in Husseiniya. [Mada]
East (Sadr City, New Baghdad, etc.)
Iraqi Army 42nd brigade found 22 IEDs, 3 rocket launchers, and other military equipment in the Rashad area. [BOC Facebook Page]
Southeast (Mada’in, etc.)
An MoI source says one person was killed and seven wounded when an IED exploded near a popular cafe in the Old Diyala Bridge area. [Mada]
South (Dora, Mahmudiya)
Iraqi Army 23rd brigade destroyed a Daesh guest house and 7 IEDs in the Baijiya area. [BOC Facebook Page]
Iraqi Army 25th brigade found an explosives cache in the Kilo 12 area. [BOC Facebook Page]
West (Mansour, Ghazaliya, Abu Ghraib)
An MoI source says two people were killed and seven wounded when an IED exploded near a commercial area in Ghazaliya. [Rudaw]
An MoI source says a university professor was killed when a sticky IED exploded under his vehicle in the Shurta Tunnel. [Mada]
Total Baghdad incidents reported: 11 (Includes only incidents reported)
ANBAR
Falluja
The Anbar Governor says a committee has been formed to investigate the assassination attempt on the Mayor of Falluja District. [Mada]
Meanwhile, the Mayor says 25% of the city was destroyed by Daesh. He says the reconstruction needs international support. [Mada]
Iraqi forces defused 80 IEDs and 52 booby-trapped houses in the Falluja area. [BOC Facebook Page]
The Falluja Police Chief says Iraqi forces found the bodies of 10 victims in 13 Daesh prisons in different areas in the city. [Mada]
Ramadi
The Anbar Operations Commander says Iraqi forces killed 700 Daesh terrorists so far in Jazeera Khaldiya. He says Daesh only has a few weak pockets left, hidden in underground tunnels. [Mada]
Videos of Daesh tunnels found by PMFs in Jazeera Khaldiya [YouTube] [YouTube]
The Joint Operations Command (JOC) says Iraqi forces destroyed 61 IEDs in different areas in Ramadi. It also says Iraqi forces secured 181 civilians from the Ramadi area to a displacement camp in the Kilo 18 area. [Maalomah]
The Anbar Operations Commander says Coalition warplanes bombed a Daesh hideout in the Albu Ali Al-Jassem area, killing 5 terrorists. [Sumaria]
The JOC says Coalition warplanes killed 5 Daesh terrorists and destroyed a hideout in the Albu Dhiab area. [Buratha]
Hit/Haditha
A tribal PMF commander says Iraqi forces stopped a Daesh attack on the Khasfa area, 10 km (6 miles) west of Haditha, killing “tens” of terrorists. [Mada]
The Jazeera Operations Commander says Coalition warplanes destroyed a Daesh hideout, a vehicle, and a mortar unit in Hay Al-Bakr, killing 10 terrorists. He also says Explosive Ordinance Disposal defused 8 IEDs and cleared 10 houses in Dolab. [Sumaria]
The JOC says Iraqi forces destroyed 5 IEDs in the Jubba area. [Maalomah]
The JOC says Coalition warplanes killed 4 Daesh terrorists in the Hit area. [Buratha]
Rutba/Western Anbar
A senior intelligence source says Iraqi F-16s, in coordination with the Al-Suqoor Intelligence Cell, launched airstrikes on Daesh in Al-Qa’im, killing 80 terrorists, including “important members,” and destroying 4 vehicle bombs. The source also says Daesh executed 2 of its foreign terrorists after accusing them of ridda. [Mada]
DaeshDaily comment. Ridda means leaving Islam, and for Daesh any Muslim who doesn’t join Daesh or disobeys Daesh orders is a murtad (someone who commits ridda). It is a ready-made accusation that gives Daesh the justification to kill anyone it wants.
Daesh issues a video of its attack on Iraqi forces near the Kilo 160 area. [A3maq]
SALAHUDDIN
Baiji
Videos of IAA helicopters attacking Daesh hideouts in the Makhoul Mountain area [YouTube]
A video of PMF fighters in a battle with Daesh in Makhoul Mountains [YouTube]
A video of Daesh weapons and ammunitions found in the Makhoul Mountains area [YouTube]
Tooz
An informed source says Peshmerga stopped a Daesh attack on Tuesday evening on Zarqa, killing “tens” of terrorists. [PUKMedia]
DIYALA
Baquba
The Chairman of the Security Committee in Diyala Provincial Council says the Intelligence Service seized a vehicle bomb that was parked on the outskirts of Baquba. [Sumaria]
Muqdadiya/Abu Saida
The Chairman of the Muqdadiya District Council says not a single house is being bought or sold in the District because people are afraid they would get kidnapped for ransom if they showed they have money by selling a house or trying to buy one. [Sumaria]
The Dijla Operations Commander says Iraqi forces destroyed 3 Daesh guesthouses in Muqdadiya. [Baghdadia]
The JOC says Dijla Operations Command troops cleared several orchards in north Muqdadiya and defused 4 IEDs. [Buratha]
Northern Diyala
The mayor of Saadiya says 189 families returned to their houses after passing the security check. [Sumaria]
The JOC says Iraqi Army 5th division destroyed 2 IEDs in Udhaim subdistrict. [Buratha]
KIRKUK
Kirkuk
A security source says a sticky IED exploded under a taxi near a Shia mosque in the Ras Domiz area of south Kirkuk, causing material damages. The source says the taxi belonged to a displaced man from Tal Afar. [Mada]
Hawija
A Peshmerga source says his troops secured 420 civilians, mostly women and children, who escaped Daesh controlled areas in Hawija. [BasNews]
A video of a Daesh terrorist captured by Iraqi forces near Hawija [YouTube]
Southwest
A security source says the Peshmerga stopped a Daesh attack in Daquq District, killing 6 terrorists and wounding 8. [Sumaria]
NINEWA
Mosul
A security source says warplanes bombed Daesh locations in different parts of Mosul, killing 50 terrorists and destroying 22 vehicles. [Mada]
The IWMC says Iraqi F-16s, in coordination with the Counter Terrorism Service, conducted 2 airstrikes on Daesh headquarters in Ninewa, killing tens of terrorists. [Baghdadia]
Daesh says American warplanes conducted 2 airstrikes on the oil market in the U’bour area in Mosul, targeting oil storage tanks and a mosque. [A3maq]
A security source says the IAF killed the Daesh security official, Abu Fares Al-Jihaishi, in an airstrike on Daesh in Mosul. [Baghdadia]
Displaced people from Mosul told the Associated Press that many foreign Daesh terrorists have left the city. 4,000 displaced people have left the city to Debaga Camp in Makhmur during the last 2 weeks, raising the number of displaced people to 45,000 since March. [BasNews]
A security source says Daesh executed seven people in a military camp in Mosul after they refused to send their kids to Daesh schools. [Mada]
A Ninewa Police source says Daesh executed six food traders in Mosul because they refused to raise the prices of food items in Mosul. [BasNews]
A video of a ravine in which Daesh disposes of bodies near Mosul [Masarat]
A Ninewa Police captain says 9 terrorists were killed when an IED exploded on a Daesh police convoy in Batnaya, 40 km (25 miles) north of Mosul. [BasNews]
A medical source says several young men died in west and south Mosul from the poisonous gases from primitive Daesh refineries where they previously worked. [Karemlash]
Daesh issues a video of its health office raiding a counterfeit medicines factory in Mosul. [A3maq]
Makhmur/Qayara
A security source says Counter Terrorism Service troops captured the main bridge of Qayara subdistrict. The source announced that the first stage of Qayara’s liberation has been completed, with the capture of 5 more villages. [Baghdadia]
The JOC says Counter Terrorism Troops finished clearing Jada’a and Jawa’na villages, in addition to the Qayara Intersection and the road between Qayara and Makhmur. [Maalomah]
The JOC says Coalition warplanes killed 31 Daesh terrorists and destroyed 9 vehicles, a tunnel, and several military positions and heavy weapons and in the Ihjala area. [Buratha]
A security source says Iraqi forces killed 3 Egyptian Daesh terrorists in the Qayara area. [Maalomah]
A video of Iraqi forces in the Qayara area [Mosuliya]
A video of Iraqi forces securing civilians in the Qayara area [Mosuliya]
A video of people from the Qayara area gathered by Iraqi forces, providing information about Daesh [Mosuliya]
Daesh says it stopped an Iraqi Army attack on Imam village south of Qayara, destroying a Humvee, a personnel carrier, and damaging another personnel carrier with an IED, killing or wounding the soldiers inside. [DawaAlhaq]
Here Daesh says it destroyed an Iraqi Army Humvee near Imam village. [A3maq]
Daesh issues a video of an attack on Iraqi Army positions near the Qayara Intersection. [A3maq]
Daesh says it destroyed an Iraqi Army Humvee with a rocket in Al-Nassr village west of Makhmur. [A3maq]
Northwest (Tal Afar, Sinjar)
The JOC says Coalition warplanes killed 8 Daesh terrorists in Tal Afar. [Buratha]
Daesh issues a video of its attack on the Sinjar cement factory. [A3maq]
Daesh publishes photos of battles west of Sinjar. [DawaAlhaq]
South (Baaj, Hatra)
The JOC says Coalition warplanes killed 8 Daesh terrorists in Baaj. [Buratha]
KURDISTAN
The older brother of Wadat Hussein, the Kurdish journalist who was killed in Daquq, accuses the KDP of killing his brother. [ROJ]
The Deputy Representative of the UN in Iraq, Journalists without Borders, and the International Federation of Journalists, issued a statement condemning the killing of Wadat Hussein and demanding a quick investigation. [ROJ] [ROJ] [ROJ]
A security source says 4 armed men were killed in an ambush by the Asayesh in Sinkaw subdistrict in Chamchamal. The source says 3 of the armed men were killed while the 4th detonated himself, wounding 3 security personnel. [Rudaw] An Asayesh officer says the terrorists were Daesh members. [BasNews]
The spokesman of Germany’s Ministry of Defense says Germany sent 70 tons of weapons, including rifles, RPG rockets, and 3 armored vehicles, to Kurdistan. He says that Germany has sent more than 30 shipments of weapons to the KRG since 2014. [Rudaw]
SOUTHERN IRAQ
Wasit
A Wasit Police source says the police raided a house in Suwaira and captured a man wanted on terrorism charges. He says the man recently arrived in Wasit to conduct terrorist attacks. [Mada]
Muthanna
The Muthanna Police Chief says security forces started a military campaign to search Muthanna’s western desert for Daesh sleeper cells. [Mada]
Basra
Basra Police say it captured a man from Karrada in Baghdad who was wanted on terrorism charges near the Shalamja border crossing. [Baghdadia]
DaeshDaily comment. We don’t want to speculate, but why would a Daesh terrorist from Baghdad be in a border area with Iran?
REPORTS FROM TURKEY
Turkey’s Prime Minister says his country and Iran with work together in solving the Syrian crisis. He says Turkey will normalize its relationships with Syria as it did with Israel and Russia under two conditions: first, that all parties maintain the integrity of the Turkish and Syrian lands, and two, that Syria won’t be a sectarian state. He accused the United States and Russia of trying to create a Kurdish state in north Syria and south Turkey to isolate Turkey from the Arab world. [SyriaHR]
DaeshDaily comment. Conceding that Turkey’s foreign policy tomorrow can’t be predicted from what it says today, this sounds like a huge change of direction. The implication seems to be that Turkey is no longer pursuing the overthrow of the Assad regime, and is instead focused on preventing the formal establishment of any kind of PYD-organized Kurdish autonomous zone in Syria, which could be a wedge for a broader Kurdish state at Turkey’s expense. In short, the PKK is a bigger enemy than Assad. Erdogan’s foreign policy is hard to follow, however. Didn’t he embrace Putin in Moscow just a few days ago?
Turkish media sources say several Daesh shells fell on Turkish areas in Kilis, causing material damage. Turkish security sources say the Turkish Army responded by shelling and rocketing Daesh controlled areas in north Aleppo. [ARA]
REPORTS FROM SYRIA
United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-Moon warns of an unprecedented humanitarian catastrophe in Aleppo and urges Russia and the United States to quickly reach a deal on a cease-fire in Syria. [EnabBaladi]
The Coalition says it conducted 16 airstrikes on Daesh targets in Syria, in and near Deir Ez-Zor (1), Albu Kamal (2), Palmyra (1), and Manbij (5), but especially Mare’ (7). [InherentResolve]
Northeast (Hasaka, Raqqa)
Fighting between militiamen allied with the Syrian Government and PYD Asayesh continued in Hasaka after a brief truce. Fourteen Syrian Government militiamen were killed and eight wounded so far. [Hawar] [Hawar]
A local source says one civilian was killed and five wounded by the militias’ shelling in Hasaka. [BasNews]
Northwest (Aleppo, Idlib)
Manbij campaign
Manbij Military Council troops liberated Jab Kajli, 15 km (9 miles) southeast of Manbij, after heavy fighting, killing 2 Daesh terrorists. [Hawar]
Sources close to the PYD say William Savage, an American YPG fighter who was wounded on the 10th of August in Manbij battles, died of complications from the injuries he sustained. [Dorar]
Al-Bab
A displaced man from Al-Bab says Daesh has kidnapped more than 300 civilians so far in the Al-Bab District on the Turkish border. [Hawar]
A local activist says Daesh raided many houses in Al-Bab and confiscated more than 30 satellite receivers, fining each house more than $200. [ARA]
Al-Ra’i
A local activist says opposition groups liberated Al-Ra’i on the Turkish border after a massive attack, killing 100 Daesh terrorists and capturing others and destroying 3 vehicle bombs. [ZamanAlWasl]
The opposition issued a video statement saying it captured Al-Ra’i completely and vowed to continue fighting Daesh, the PKK, and the Syrian Government. Opposition groups have captured the city after 3 days of heavy battles, killing more than 30 terrorists, wounding tens, capturing 3, and forcing the rest to flee to Jarabulus. [Dorar]
A video of Daesh terrorists captured in Al-Ra’i [YouTube]
Video of opposition group combat near Al-Ra’i [YouTube] [YouTube]
Daesh’s version said it conducted 2 suicide attacks on opposition groups in Al-Ra’i, which is a subdistrict of Al-Bab. [A3maq] It published photos of 2 suicide terrorists. [JustPaste]
Daesh publishes photos of the battles near Al-Ra’i. [JustPaste]
DaeshDaily comment. This is not a good time for the Daesh media machine. It issues reports and photos trying to maintain its “victorious” image but Daesh has actually been defeated.
Other reports from Northwest Syria
700 displaced people from Daesh-controlled areas arrived Wednesday in the largely Kurdish Afrin District on the far northwest corner of Syria. [Hawar]
Daesh says it launched an attack on the Syrian Army and Shia militias near the Kowaires Airport in northern Aleppo. [A3maq]
Daesh says one of its suicide terrorists attacked the Syrian Army with a vehicle bomb in Miltifta village north of Kowaires Airport. [A3maq]
Daesh says Russian and Syrian warplanes launched heavy airstrikes on the villages near the airport. [A3maq]
Daesh says it destroyed a Syrian Army heavy machine gun with a guided missile on Al-Seen Hill west of the airport. [A3maq]
Daesh says it destroyed a Syrian Army tank and an armored vehicle in Nasrallah village north of the airport. [A3maq] Daesh also says it destroyed two 57mm cannons and captured a 23mm cannon in the same village. [A3maq]
Daesh issues a video of shelling or rocketing Syrian troop positions north of the Kowaires Airport. [A3maq]
Turkey backed opposition groups continued their shelling of Sheikh Maqsoud, wounding 12 civilians, including children. [Hawar]
A Syrian military source says Syrian troops destroyed a Daesh armored vehicle and 2 other vehicles loaded with ammunition in the Deir Hafer area, east of Aleppo. [SyriaNow]
Central and West (Homs, Hama, etc.)
Syrian official TV says Syrian troops stopped a Daesh attack on a military position east of Homs, killing or wounding several terrorists. [SyriaNow]
East (Deir Ez-Zor)
The Russian Minister of Defense says Russian warplanes, flying from Hamdan in Iran, conducted more airstrikes on Daesh in Deir Ez-Zor on Wednesday, killing 150 terrorists, including foreigners, and destroying 2 headquarters and 2 military camps. [Sumaria]
Syrian planes targeted several Daesh positions in different areas in Deir Ez-Zor. [SyriaNow]
The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights says Daesh stoned a man to death, after accusing him of adultery in Kharita, west of Deir Ez-Zor. [SyriaHR]
The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights says two civilians, including a child, were killed in a Daesh shelling on the Joura and Qusour areas in Deir Ez-Zor. [SyriaHR]
South (Rif Damashq, Suwayda, Daraa, etc.)
A local activist says Khaled Bin Al-Waleed Army, a Daesh affiliate, attacked opposition groups near the Ain Dhikr area in Daraa. He says the battles are still ongoing. [ARA]
OTHER MIDDLE EAST/NORTH AFRICA REPORTS
North Africa
Egypt
Ansar Bair Al-Maqdis issued a statement admitting that its leader, Abu Dua’a Al-Ansari, was killed. Egyptian authorities had said Ansari was killed in a military operation in south Arish two weeks ago. [ElWatan]
A security source says four policemen were wounded in clashes with Ansar Bait Al-Maqdis terrorists near Masoura village in Rafah. [ElWatan]
Local sources say unknown armed men blew up a deserted security building in the Qasima area in Central Sinai after rigging it with explosives. [VetoGate]
Libya
Central coast
AFRICOM issued a statement saying American warplanes have conducted 48 airstrikes on Daesh in Sirte since the beginning of August, in coordination with the National Accord Government. It says the most recent airstrikes were on Tuesday, and destroyed 4 Daesh locations and a vehicle in Sirte city center. [Xendan]
The National Accord Government Military Press Center says Daesh attacked Libyan troops in Sirte with 5 vehicle bombs, 2 motorcycle bombs, and 3 suicide terrorists. The GNA Military spokesman says the Coalition airstrikes helped reducing the casualties among his fighters. He says that before the airstrikes started, 35-40 soldiers were being killed in each attack. [AfriGate]
Al-Wasat says an American airstrike killed Daesh’s wali of Tripoli, a Libyan terrorist called Ahmed Al-Hamali. [Wasat]
Daesh says around 70 Libyan soldiers, who were supported by American air and ground forces, were killed in Sirte on Tuesday. Daesh says 2 of its suicide terrorists attacked Libyan troops in Hay 2 in Sirte, destroying a tank, a personnel carrier, and 2 armored vehicles, in addition to several SUVs. Daesh also says 2 other terrorists attacked Libyan troops west of Sirte. Daesh says 2 more vehicles were destroyed by land mines while a Libyan boat was also destroyed in the sea. [A3maq]
The GNA Military says it has lost 400 fighters in the fighting in Sirte so far. He also says 4 more terrorists were captured. [AfriGate]
The Misrata Hospital says 10 Libyan soldiers were killed and 72 wounded in the battles in Sirte on Wednesday. [Wasat]
A military source says Libyan troops found the bodies of 32 Daesh terrorists killed in the recent battles in Sirte city. [Wasat]
The GNA Military Spokesman says GNA troops killed several Daesh female suicide terrorists in Hay 2. He says this is the first time Daesh used female suicide terrorists in Sirte. [Wasat]
The deputy chairman of the GNA Presidency Council says Italy will provide the GNA troops in Sirte with a mobile hospital. [AfriGate]
Photos of normal life returning to the Abu Hadi area in Sirte after it was liberated from Daesh [Wasat]
Tunisia
The Tunisian Minister of Interior says Tunisian authorities captured a terrorism suspect in Karkana who was trying to cross the sea to Italy with 5 other people. [AfriGate]
VIDEOS
A video of 4 Daesh terrorists from Abu Ghraib who were sentenced to death [YouTube]
A video of Iraqi forces conducting a controlled vehicle bomb destruction [YouTube]
A video of IFP fighters destroying a Daesh vehicle bomb [YouTube]
A video of PMF fighters dodging bullets from Daesh snipers [YouTube]
A video found in a Daesh terrorist’s mobile phone in Falluja, showing a terrorist from Central Asia explaining the attack plan to other terrorists [YouTube]
A video of Peshmerga fighters having fun on the frontlines [YouTube]
A video of Peshmerga fighters destroying a Daesh vehicle bomb [Rudaw]
Hamza, the son of Osama Bin Laden, issues an audio message asking people of Saudi Arabia to revolt against their government. [DawaAlhaq]
OTHER DAESH MEDIA
Daesh audio newsletter for today [YouTube]
