October 19, 2015
The Late Jacky Sutton
The Late Ammar Al-Shahbander
REPORTS FROM IRAQ
A tragedy needing urgent attention
British journalist Ms. Jacky Sutton, the Iraq Director for the prestigious Institute for War and Peace Reporting, and formerly with the BBC, was found hanged at Istanbul Airport. [The Guardian] [Telegraph]
The Speaker of Iraq’s Council of Representatives, Saleem Al-Jubouri, expressed his sorrow and said she was traveling to Iraq to help its people. The Speaker asked the Turkish authorities to open an urgent investigation. [IraqiMediaNetwork]
The Iraqi National Union for Journalists expressed its sorrow and condolences. [Mada]
The Turkish newspaper Hürriyet claims she killed herself after missing her flight to Erbil. [Hürriyet]
DaeshDaily comment. This development is as unsettling as it is tragic. Hundreds of Iraqi journalists and civil society activists in Iraqi media and on social media expressed shock, sorrow, and anger over Ms. Sutton’s death. Iraq and the world’s journalists lost a good friend and a brave defender of the freedom of the press.
DaeshDaily associates knew Ms. Sutton well, and also knew her predecessor Ammar Al-Shahbander, who was killed in a car bomb explosion on May 2 this year. Daesh claimed responsibility for that attack. [A3maq] We express our deepest condolences to Ms. Sutton’s family and colleagues.
The circumstances of Jacky Sutton’s death are unclear, to say the least, but we agree with many others that it defies plausibility that a strong person like her would kill herself over a missed flight. Speaker Al-Jubouri has passed the right message to the Government of Turkey. We hope the British and American governments will pass the same message. We are all waiting impatiently for the answer.
An excellent article about Iraq by Joost Hiltermann of the International Crisis Group [NYBooks]
ANBAR
A member of Anbar GC says Daesh is severely weakened in Anbar after losing hundreds of its men in recent battles. He says Daesh is using boats for transportation because its land routes by road were all cut off. [Mada]
An MP from Anbar says 1,300 people from Anbar have been imprisoned in Kerbala and Babel, most of them after being forced to make confessions. He also says some families escaped Thirthar but a Shia militia released the women and took the men to an unknown place. [Sumaria]
Falluja
An Iraqi commander says Iraqi forces supported by the IAA advanced 2 km in Albu Daaij south of Falluja in a surprise attack. [Maalomah]
Daesh publishes photos of the results of a bombing attack on Falluja and says there were no human casualties. [JustPaste]
A local PMF commander says Daesh controls less than half of Qarma district center and it’s under heavy bombing which has caused many of them to retreat to Falluja. He also says Iraqi forces will advance to Falluja in the coming days. [Mada]
Ramadi
A security source says Iraqi forces killed 12 Daesh suicide bombers disguised as Iraqi policemen attacking Iraqi forces in Al-Tameem just southwest of the city. Four Iraqi soldiers were killed and 5 wounded in the attack. [Baghdadia]
On Sunday, Iraqi airpower killed 4 Daesh terrorists and destroyed 3 mortars, a rocket launcher and 3 vehicles in Albu Farraj and Albu Dhiab north of Ramadi. Iraqi forces also destroyed a vehicle bomb and killed its driver and destroyed a boat killing 5 Daesh fighters west of the city. [IWMC Report]
Iraqi artillery shelled Daesh in Jaraishi north of the city, killing many of them, and advanced in Albu Risha despite a Daesh vehicle bomb attack. [IWMC Report]
The Anti-Terrorism Service says Albu Risha north of the city was completely liberated and Iraqi forces captured the Palestine Bridge that leads to Ramadi center (photos). [AIN] [Qurtas]
Daesh has a completely different version. It says 2 of its suicide terrorists (a Russian and an Iraqi) attacked Iraqi forces in Albu Risha with 2 vehicle bombs, killing more than 20 of them. [Dump] Daesh publishes a remote photo of the suicide explosion. [CDN] Daesh says a third terrorist attacked Iraqi forces with a vehicle bomb in the same area. [Dump]
Daesh says a suicide bomber attacked Iraqi forces with a vehicle bomb in Albu Iyada west of Ramadi, killing or wounding many of them, followed by an attack from other terrorists forcing Iraqi troops to retreat from the area they recently took. [Dump] Daesh publishes photos of one of the explosions and the fights in Albu Iyada. [JustPaste]
Daesh also says it forced Iraqi troops to retreat to the Olympic Stadium. [A3maq]
Daesh said on Sunday that two of its suicide terrorists (a British and a Syrian) attacked Iraqi forces in the Ramadi area with a vehicle bomb, killing or wounding 80 soldiers. [Dump]
Photos of the British and Syrian terrorists [CDN] [CDN]
A PMF unit says it defused 25 IEDs near Thirthar Lake. [Etejah]
The MoD publishes a video of the Iraqi ME28 helicopter targeting Daesh in Zangoura west of Ramadi. [MoD Website]
Hit/Haditha
The Jazeera Operations Commander says Iraqi troops supported by Coalition airpower conducted a large military campaign near Baghdadi in Hit, killing 12 Daesh fighters and destroying 3 weapons hideouts, a vehicle bomb, and a truck with rocket launchers, in addition to defusing 172 IEDs. [Mada]
On Sunday, Jazeera Operations Command troops killed 3 Daesh fighters, destroyed a vehicle bomb, and defused 30 IEDs near Baghdadi. [IWMC Report]
Iraqi forces confiscated 3 thermal rockets and 18 cans of C4 explosives near Baghdadi. [IWMC Report]
The IAF launched 4 airstrikes on Daesh in Hit, destroying a car bomb factory, an ammunition storehouse, a Daesh gathering, and a vehicle bomb. The last airstrike killed the suicide bomber and his trainer. The airstrikes also killed several Daesh commanders including a Saudi and a Chechen. Daesh closed the area, cut off internet service, and issued a curfew after the airstrikes. [IWMC Report]
A PMF commander says his troops defused 2 car bombs with Kuwaiti plates in Baghdadi. [Sumaria]
Western Anbar
IWMC said on Sunday that Al-Suqoor Intelligence Cell detected a Daesh convoy coming from Syria. The convoy was divided into 3 groups and heading for 3 locations in Rawa: one for the leaders, one for explosives shipments, and the third for suicide bombers. The Cell then coordinated a rocket attack on the 3 locations, killing 47 terrorists.
The Al-Suqoor Cell also coordinated an IAF airstrike on a Daesh explosives factory in Al-Qa’im, killing 18 terrorists including an American and a Turk. [Al-Suqoor Facebook Page]
Daesh publishes photos and a video of the results of the earlier bombing on Anah and says a civilian was killed and others wounded. [JustPaste] [A3maq]
SALAHUDDIN
The court released Mr. Ahmed Nadhem, a member of Salahuddin GC arrested last week on “terrorism” charges. He blamed his arrest on a political front intended to prevent him from voting for a motion to remove the current Governor. The arrest succeeded in doing that. Nadhem says the Governor would not have been confirmed in his position if his vote had been counted. Three “witnesses” had accused Nadhem of transporting 3 Daesh members in his personal car. However, he was released after showing the judge his passport, proving he was outside Iraq during the time of the alleged event. [Baghdadia]
DaeshDaily comment. We expressed our skepticism about this arrest before, based on our previous experience with Mr. Nadhem. Now it seems that he is no longer in trouble, but other people should be if the Prime Minister’s anti-corruption program is for real.
Baiji
On Sunday, Iraqi forces supported by the IAF continued their operations to clear Baiji District and the refinery, killing “dozens” of Daesh terrorists, destroying 3 vehicles, and defusing 8 IEDs. [IWMC Report]
The IFP Commander says his troops destroyed a Daesh vehicle bomb near the Baiji refinery. [Etejah]
Daesh used mortar shells filled with chlorine to stop Iraqi forces’ advances in Baiji. [IWMC Report]
Photos of PMFs in downtown Baiji [AIN]
Eyewitnesses say Daesh forced 200 families from Zuwiya north of Baiji to go to Shirqat, fearing a popular uprising in Zuwiya in support of the Iraqi military campaign in the area. [Ghad]
Iraqi forces defused more than 100 IEDs in Baiji and Siniya. [IWMC Report]
On Sunday, Iraqi forces liberated the Shuwaish Village near Al-Fatha just northeast of Baiji. [IWMC Report]
Iraqi forces stopped a Daesh attack in Fatha, killing several terrorists. [IWMC Report]
Dash says it stopped 2 Iraqi forces attempts to advance in Al-Fatha, killing and wounding “dozens” of them and destroying 5 Humvees and 2 bulldozers. [Dump]
The IWMC says the IAA targeted Daesh in Al-Fatha, killing its military commander of the area. [Baghdadia]
A PMF commander says the IAF bombed 3 Daesh caves in Al-Fatha, killing 10 Daesh snipers. [Etejah]
The Anti-Terrorism 2nd Division Commander says Iraqi troops stopped a Daesh attack east of Baiji, killing 70 fighters. He also says Iraqi forces are advancing to the north and Daesh is trapped between Mount Makhoul and Himrin Hills. [Mada]
Daesh publishes photos of the battles near Mount Makhoul. [JustPaste]
The PMFs say they killed a Daesh explosives expert called Qassem Kobane. [Buratha]
Daesh publishes photos of shelling and rocketing Iraqi forces northwest of Baiji. [JustPaste]
A video of Daesh communications intercepted by PMFs, showing Daesh fighters obviously stressed and blaming each other. [YouTube]
Shirqat
A local source says the Daesh sharia judge of Mosul was killed in a Coalition airstrike on Shirqat. [IraqPress]
The PMF spokesman says Iraqi forces are advancing from Baiji to Shirqat. He also says Daesh booby trapped houses in Baiji, trying to slow the advance. [Qurtas]
Samarra
Samarra Operations Command troops shelled 4 Daesh gatherings, destroyed a Daesh house, and defused 5 IEDs in Jazeera Samarra. [IWMC Report]
Elsewhere in Salahuddin
Iraqi troops and PMFs supported by the IAA and the IAF conducted a military operation near Himrin Hills, killing 9 terrorists and destroying 2 vehicles carrying machine guns, 7 IEDs, 8 heavy machine guns, 2 gatherings, and a truck carrying an anti-aircraft machine gun. [IWMC Report]
The IFP stopped an attack by a Daesh force coming from Himrin Hills, killing many terrorists, mostly foreigners. [IWMC Report]
Iraqi forces defused 27 IEDs in Dujail District in southern Salahuddin. [IWMC Report]
BAGHDAD
Military and political sources say the Quadripartite Coalition intelligence center has started its work and experts from Syria, Iran and Russia will arrive next week. [Mawazin]
The Chairman of the Security and Defense Committee in the CoR says Russian drones are monitoring Daesh convoys in Iraq and Syria and give information to the Iraqi planes. [Mada]
Dozens of Council of Ministers employees demonstrated in Baghdad, rejecting the reduction in their salaries. [IraqPress]
The Minister of Trade denies the reports about his arrest in Baghdad International Airport on corruption charges. The Minister and other officials in his ministry will be questioned by the Integrity Court. [Sumaria] [Sumaria]
A member of the Health Committee in the CoR says 1,715 cholera cases were registered in Iraq. He says the main reason is the lack of chlorine in the water. [Xendan]
An MoI source says a car bomb exploded on Iraqi security forces in the Arab Jassem village in Yusufiyah, killing 2 of them and wounding 7. [Mada]
According to security sources:
- A Ministry of Electricity employee was killed by unknown armed men while leaving his house in Tarmiya in north Baghdad. [Maalomah]
- Unknown armed men shot and killed a dentist and his secretary in his clinic in Tarmiya. [Ghad]
- An IED exploded near a popular market in Saba’ Al-Bor in north Baghdad, killing 3 civilians and wounding 6. [Mada]
- Unknown armed men shot and killed a civilian, using guns with silencers, in Sadr City in east Baghdad. [Mada]
- A civilian was wounded when a roadside IED exploded in Albu Aitha in south Baghdad. [Ghad]
- Two mortar shells fell on a farm in Arab Jabour in south Baghdad, killing a woman and wounding 5 other civilians, all from the same family. [Mada]
- A car bomb exploded in Yusufiyah in south Baghdad, wounding 4 civilians. [Ghad]
- A civilian was killed and 6 wounded when an IED exploded in Hay Al-Amel in southwest Baghdad. [Mada]
- An IED exploded in Ghazaliya in west Baghdad, killing 2 civilians and wounding 8. [Mada]
The Iraqi Military Intelligence Service says it found an explosives storehouse and confiscated 38 IEDs and other explosives in west Baghdad. [Maalomah]
The Army 53rd Brigade killed 2 Daesh terrorists and destroyed a vehicle in Al-Rashad in north Baghdad. [BOC Facebook Page]
An Army 23rd Brigade unit defused 2 IEDs in Khtaimiya near Yusufiyah in south Baghdad. [BOC Facebook Page]
An Iraqi Army 24th Brigade unit destroyed a hideout and killed the terrorists inside it in Lihaib in northwest Baghdad. [BOC Facebook Page]
Overall, the IAF conducted 18 sorties and the IAA 86. The Coalition airpower conducted 59 sorties on Sinjar, Mosul, Habbaniya, Baiji and Ramadi.
DaeshDaily comment. Notwithstanding some PMF denials, the MoD says Coalition airpower has been helping in the Baiji battle.
DIYALA
Baquba
A security source says the Diyala Governor survived an IED explosion on his convoy in south Baquba. [Baghdadia]
The Governor accused Daesh and “the corrupt” of the assassination attempt against him. [Sumaria]
Unknown armed men blew up a mosque in Wajihiya northeast of Baquba. [Baghdadia]
Five civilians were killed and 7 wounded in an IED explosion in a market in Baquba. [Maalomah]
Unknown armed men shot and killed a taxi driver on the road between Baquba and Abbara. [Baghdadia]
Muqdadiya
Unknown armed men shot and killed a government employee in Muqdadiya. [Baghdadia]
Unknown armed men kidnapped 2 civilians on the road between Muqdadiya and Baquba. [Baghdadia]
KIRKUK
The commander of the local PMFs in Hawija says security forces, PMFs and Peshmerga liberated the Tal Khadija village near Al-Rashad, cutting Daesh supply lines from Hawija. He also says 5,000 local tribal fighters will participate in the Hawija liberation in the coming days. [Maalomah]
A security source says Iraqi forces shelled a Daesh hideout in Hawija, based on intelligence information, killing 5 snipers. [Maalomah]
A PMF spokesman says it’s unlikely that the KRG will prevent Iraqi forces from advancing towards Hawija. He says Iraqi forces advanced earlier to disputed areas in Diyala and the KRG didn’t oppose that. [Maalomah]
An MP from Kirkuk says Iraqi forces broke Daesh’s outer defense lines in Hawija and asks security forces to provide secure passage for displaced families. [Ghad]
Daesh publishes a video of the results of the bombing on Hawija. [A3maq]
The Commission on Integrity says two of its investigators (a Turkmen and an Arab) were assassinated in Kirkuk. [Maalomah]
The bodies of 3 men were found shot and buried near Daquq. [Sumaria]
NINEWA
Makhmur
The Ninewa Operations Command headquarters was moved to Makhmur near the front line between the Peshmerga and Daesh which might signal the start of the Ninewa liberation operation. [Karemlash]
A Peshmerga commander says the Coalition airpower bombed Daesh 20 km (12.5 miles) south of Makhmur, killing 14 terrorists. [Rudaw]
Mosul
The spokesman for PM Abadi says the Peshmerga will have an essential role in liberating Mosul. He also says the Iraqi government is keen on coordinating with the KRG about the Ninewa operation. [Rudaw]
The IWMC says 17 Daesh members were killed in a Coalition airstrike on Mosul. [Baghdadia]
A security source says 7 Daesh members were killed and 10 of their vehicles destroyed in clashes with tribes in Hammam Al-Alil south of Mosul. [Maalomah]
Reports about several popular armed operations against Daesh south of Mosul and sudden disappearances of Daesh leaders [Karemlash]
DaeshDaily comment. The disappearances might mean they were killed or they are trying to hide. Many Saddam officers spread rumors about their death after 2003 in order not to be prosecuted. They are recycling old tricks, perhaps.
Kata’eb Al-Mosul says its fighters attacked a Daesh vehicle in Al-Qusiyat north of Mosul, killing 3 terrorists. The KM also says its fighters killed a Daesh guard near Ghizlani camp. [KM Facebook Page] [KM Facebook Page]
A member of Ninewa GC says Daesh arrested several relatives of Ninewa’s new Governor. [Baghdadia]
A local source from Mosul says Daesh tightened its security procedures in the city fearing the Iraqi forces attack on Shirqat. [Ghad]
The IWMC says Daesh is executing anyone who mentions the liberation of Baiji. [Buratha]
Local sources say Daesh executed 10 police officers in Mosul. The victims were arrested last week. [Karemlash]
A security source says Daesh executed 33 of its members who ran away from Baiji. [Karemlash]
The Free Officers Movement says Daesh opened 23 schools in Mosul for children, to spread takfir and train them on weapons. [Karemlash]
Northwest Ninewa
Security sources say unknown armed men kidnapped a Daesh commander responsible for executing government employees after he left his house (a professor’s house). Ahmed Talla was a Saddam officer from Tal Afar who left to Afghanistan after being a prisoner in Saudi Arabia during the Gulf War and joined Al-Qaeda, then changed sides to Daesh. [Karemlash]
IWMC says the Coalition, in coordination with the Iraqi Intelligence Service, bombed Daesh in Zumani west of Sinjar, killing “dozens” of Daesh terrorists and destroying several mortars.[Ghad]
A Ninewa Operations Command source says Coalition airpower bombed Daesh near Sinjar killing 48 terrorists. The source also says the Coalition killed 5 more terrorists near Kasiq. [Sumaria]
Other Governorates
KURDISTAN
The KDP says the Iraqi Minister of Finance informed the KRG that PM Abadi promised to pay the delayed salaries of the Peshmerga for 2 months in addition to other KRG allocations. [Erem]
The Islamic Movement in Kurdistan says it suggested a new initiative to solve the current political crisis in Kurdistan. The Movement also says it met with all the parties and they showed their readiness to work on solving the issue. [Sumaria]
A Gorran MP in the CoR says Baghdad should intervene in the situation in Kurdistan. [Buratha]
REPORTS FROM SYRIA
A Kurdish field source says the YPG deployed hundreds of fighters, and heavy weapons and tanks and armored vehicles in Sarrin, preparing to attack Raqqa. The source says Daesh is deploying its fighters to stop the attack. [BasNews]
Daesh says the Syrian regime launched more than 50 airstrikes on Tal Sabeen in east Aleppo, destroying many houses. The Syrian Army tried then to advance in the area, but Daesh says it stopped them, killing or wounding “dozens” of them and destroying a tank and 3 vehicles. [Dump]
Three civilians were killed and 14 wounded in a Daesh shelling of east Homs. [SANA]
Local sources say Daesh issued a compulsory military service decree on all men age 14 to 40 in its areas of control in Syria. [RaiAlyoum]
A video of Daesh terrorists whiplashing 4 women publicly, accusing them of trespassing on Daesh property. The terrorist who announced the sentence said it was issued by the Daesh Saudi judge of the area. He also says there was no proof of theft, otherwise the women’s hands would have been cut off. [YouTube]
Daesh publishes video messages from its terrorists in Aleppo and Deir Al-Zor to the people of Jerusalem. [Archive] [Archive]
Daesh publishes photos of the results of the bombing on Al-Bab in Aleppo. [JustPaste]
Daesh publishes a video of its terrorists in several areas in east Aleppo countryside. [A3maq]
A video of Daesh terrorists training a 3 or 4 year old boy under military fire, allegedly in Raqqa [YouTube]
REPORTS FROM TURKEY
Turkish authorities say they identified one of the suicide bombers of the double attack in Ankara on October 10 and arrested 11 suspects and confiscated weapons and ammunition and tons of materials used to make explosives. [Anadolu]
A Turkish opposition leader says the Turkish authorities arrested more people for expressing their opinion on Twitter than Daesh members. He also accused Erdogan of protecting Daesh and says without this protection the terrorist attack in Ankara wouldn’t have happened. [Xendan]
Turkish media sources say the authorities arrested a Daesh cell that was training boys aged 10-14 in a cellar in Istanbul. The Turkish authorities also arrested 50 foreigners (mostly Uzbek and Tajik) trying to travel to Syria to join Daesh. [Sumaria]
The Turkish Prime Minister says the drone that was shot down last week over Turkey was Russian made but it might belong to the Syrian government or the Kurds in Syria. [Sumaria]
REPORTS FROM OTHER MIDDLE EAST/NORTH AFRICAN COUNTRIES
Daesh audio newsletter in English for today [Archive]
Jordan. Jordanian authorities questioned an Iraqi businessman living in Amman about his alleged role in delivering 280 Toyotas to Daesh. The vehicles were imported to Jordan for the businessman, came to the duty-free zone in Zarqa near Amman, and were then exported tax-free to Iraq. [BalqaToday]
The Jordanian State Security Court sentenced 7 men to 1-3 years in prison for promoting Daesh using the internet. [IslamMemo]
Yemen. Daesh publishes a video message from its terrorists in Hadhramaut to the people of Jerusalem. [Archive]
Egypt. The Egyptian army says it bombed several terrorists transporting weapons and ammunition in Siwa (photos). [Youm7]
Libya. The Libyan Special Forces mourn the death of the chief of the intelligence service in Ajdabiya and say he was killed by unknown armed men. [LibyaAkhbar]
Daesh claims responsibility for the assassination. [Dump]
The National Committee for Human Rights says Daesh executed 3 civilians in Derna. [AfriGate]
Daesh kills a Libyan soldier and a Christian Sudanese citizen. [AfriGate]
Tunisia. The Tunisian MoI says security forces arrested 6 cells of 27 terrorists, including 5 women, specializing in recruiting and sending terrorists to other countries. [IslamMemo]
Some Daesh twitter accounts reported the death of Abu Talha Al-Alamani, the German rapper turned terrorist. [Twitter]
DaeshDaily comment. Several such reports appeared in April and turned out not to be true. DaeshDaily published a photo of him in September, in Mosul, with a tribal leader from Falluja.
SOCIAL MEDIA SOURCES
Facebook Page of the Day
The spokesman of the Egyptian military page
Daesh Twitter Accounts of the Day
https://twitter.com/a62228682df6403
