October 7, 2016
Iraqi Forces in Jazeera Hit (Etejah)
Today’s Major Developments
McGurk says Iraqis, Barzani, US agree on excluding outside forces from Mosul campaign; but the Turks don’t. […]
Joint Operations Command announces impending military campaign to finally capture northwest Anbar. […]
Daesh still battling to control areas near Shirqat. […]
Daesh trying to arrest and execute Daesh fighters who have escaped its control. […]
Deadly friendly fire airstrikes were reportedly based on Iraqi ground instructions. […]
Daesh still holding out, inflicting casualties, in Sirte, Libya. […]
REPORTS FROM IRAQ
NATIONAL NEWS
The US Special Envoy to the Coalition, Brett McGurk, says “Barzani’s presence in Baghdad, which some of you may have covered last week, was quite significant – first time he visited Baghdad in some years, and much of it was focused on making sure we have the pieces in place for the Mosul military operation. So the political agreements for how that’s going to go are in place.” He also says “we’re looking for independent screening mechanisms and also to make sure that armed groups that are not under the full control of the Iraqi Government are not a part of the Mosul campaign.” [State]
DaeshDaily comment. That would seem to eliminate the Turks and the NMFs, and add some pressure on Iraqi PMF groups to make sure they work through the chain of command. However, see the next news item.
The Turkish Minister of Foreign Affairs says Turkey is still in dispute with the Coalition regarding a ground military action against Daesh. He says the Coalition wants to conduct only airstrikes while Turkey wants an operation similar to the Euphrates Shield. [Dorar]
He also says the participation of Shia militia in Mosul’s liberation will not achieve peace. He says the forces that were trained by Turkey should participate. [BasNews]
The Turkish Prime Minister says the Turkish troops will remain in Iraq to fight Daesh and to prevent demographic changes, regardless of what the Iraqi government says. [SotKurdistan]
DaeshDaily comment. Referring to our comment just above, the Turkish comments would seem to indicate that the Turks are not on board with the US-Iraq-KRG decisions on which troops will participate in the Mosul campaign. The good news is that the two stories together seem to show that Barzani has indeed finally backed off, leaving the Turks without the political cover they had previously.
Hundreds of people demonstrated in Baghdad, Basra, and Nasiriya demanding more reforms. The demonstrators also condemned the Turkish troop presence in Iraq. [Mada] [Mada] [Mada]
The U.S. State Department has approved a proposed $65 million sale of Cessna AC-208 aircraft to the government of Iraq. The deal would involve the purchase of two aircraft that would include dual rail LAU-131 Hellfire missile launcher capability on each wing, the Defense Security Cooperation Agency said in a statement Friday. [UPI]
The Coalition says it conducted 15 airstrikes on Daesh targets in Iraq (near Mosul (6), Kasik (2), Qayara (1), Baiji (1), Hit (4), and Al-Qa’im (1)). [InherentResolve]
BAGHDAD
Security-related incidents reported
Center (Rusafa, Karkh, etc.)
The MoI says a security unit captured a man wanted on terrorism charges in Karkh. [Baghdadia]
North (Tarmiya, Taji, etc.)
Coalition planes killed 4 Daesh terrorists in an airstrike on the north Baghdad military sector. [BOC Facebook Page]
Daesh says it killed two Iraqi service members in the Abayachi area, in Tarmiya. [A3maq]
Iraqi Army 22nd brigade found 2 Daesh guesthouses and confiscated explosives in the Tha’er area. [BOC Facebook Page]
Iraqi Army 55th brigade found an explosives cache in north Baghdad. [BOC Facebook Page]
Iraqi Army 23rd brigade found a Daesh guesthouse and 3 IEDs in the Khtaimiya and Tal Al-Dhaba areas. [BOC Facebook Page]
Northeast (Adhamiya, etc.)
Baghdad Operations Command says a suicide terrorist detonated his explosives vest at a Shia gathering in Shaab, causing civilian casualties. [Sumaria]
Daesh says it killed twenty people by detonating an IED on a Shia gathering in Shaab. [A3maq]
Baghdad Operations Command said later that the attack in Shaab was by an IED. An MoI source says three people were killed and eight wounded in the attack. [Sumaria]
Southeast (Mada’in, etc.)
An MoI source says one Tribal PMF fighter was killed and five wounded when an IED exploded near their checkpoint in Al-Bawi village, in Mada’in. [Mada]
Southwest (Rasheed, etc.)
An MoI source says a mosque crier was killed when a sticky IED exploded under his car in Saidiya. [Mada]
West (Ghazaliya, Abu Ghraib, etc.)
An MoI source says two people were killed and eight wounded when an IED exploded near a commercial area in Bakriya. [Mada]
Total Baghdad incidents reported: 10 (Includes only incidents reported)
ANBAR
Ramadi
Daesh gives more details about the suicide attack on a checkpoint southeast of Ramadi yesterday. Daesh says one of its Syrian suicide terrorists attacked the checkpoint in the Majar area with a vehicle bomb, killing nine Iraqi forces members and wounding others, and destroying 4 vehicles. Daesh also says it targeted the area with 25 mortars. [GooglePlus]
Hit/Haditha
The Anbar Operations Commander says Iraqi forces, supported by Coalition planes, captured the Tal Aswad area in Jazeera Hit after heavy battles with Daesh, killing “tens” of terrorists. He ae also says Iraqi forces will enter Hay Al-Bakr and Zuwiya in the coming hours. [Mada]
An Anbar Operations Command source said a Coalition airstrike killed the Daesh military commander of Tal Aswad. [Sumaria]
The IWMC says Iraqi forces captured the Thermal Energy Company in Jazeera Hit. [Baghdadia]
Daesh says it killed five Iraqi soldiers in an attack on a military position west of Haditha. Daesh says when the reinforcements came to retrieve the casualties, Daesh detonated IEDs on their vehicles killing four members and destroying an SUV. [CTSS]
Here Daesh says it killed four Iraqi forces members by detonating an IED on their car near the Khamsa Gharib area, near the Haditha Dam. [A3maq]
DaeshDaily comment. Warning to US and Iraqi military analysts! Relate this story about Daesh operating near the strategic Haditha Dam to stories in the past few days including today about Daesh operating near the strategic Mosul Dam. It may be advisable not to assume this is just a coincidence. Daesh is everywhere on the defensive, but it is always looking for attention-getting opportunities that distract from its defeats. Putting a big hit on one or both of the dams would serve the purpose. Daesh has made multiple moves on both dams in the past.
Rutba/Western Anbar
In what is likely a major story, the Joint Operations Command (JOC) official spokesman says Iraqi forces will start a military operation to liberate the Upper Euphrates areas in the coming days. [Anadolu] He is referring to the northwest Anbar area that includes the cities of Anah, Rawa, and Al-Qa’im.
DaeshDaily comment. This indicates that Iraq has decided to clear up Anbar before focusing on Mosul. We have no way to know whether this is part of an overall military strategy or a tactical adjustment to delays in the Mosul campaign caused by all the problems with the Turks.
A Tribal PMF commander says the IAA killed 7 Daesh terrorists and destroyed a weapons cache, a rocket launcher, and a mortar unit in Anah. [Maalomah]
The 1st Rapid Intervention Division headed to the Rutba area to continue the liberation operations in the border areas. [MoD Website]
Daesh publishes photos of an attack on an Iraqi forces barracks in west Anbar. [DawaAlhaq]
SALAHUDDIN
Shirqat
The Chairman of the Shirqat District Council says security forces issued a curfew in Shirqat after getting information about Daesh suicide terrorists who infiltrated the city. He also says 200 families arrived in the city, escaping Daesh controlled areas on the east side of the river. [Sumaria]
Daesh says it launched an attack on Iraqi forces on the outskirts of Shirqat city. [A3maq]
Daesh says heavy battles are ongoing in Shirqat city and Iraqi forces are retreating. [A3maq]
A member of the Salahuddin Provincial Council says Iraqi forces stopped a Daesh attack on Khanuqa village, south of Shirqat, killing 8 terrorists. He also says a child was killed and four other civilians wounded in the attack. He says Daesh has been trying to recapture the village for some time now, and criticized the weak air cover provided to ground troops during the attack. [Mada]
Daesh says its snipers killed two Iraqi Army members and destroyed their vehicles near Khanuqa village. [JustPaste]
Daesh issues a video of destroying an Iraqi Army tank near Khanuqa village. [A3maq]
Daesh says it killed eight Iraqi forces members in an attack on the Tilul Al-Baj area just southwest of Shirqat. [A3maq]
Daesh says it stopped an Iraqi Army attack in the Naml intersection area near Shirqat (photos). [DawaAlhaq]
Daesh says it targeted Iraqi forces in north Shirqat and in Qayara with 110 mortars. [JustPaste]
Baiji
Daesh publishes aerial photos of shelling Iraqi forces with mortars on the road between Baiji and Haditha. [DawaAlhaq]
Tikrit
Daesh says its snipers killed a PMF fighter in Allas Oilfield. [JustPaste]
DIYALA
Baquba/southeast Diyala
Daesh says it killed a Sahwa commander in Baquba. [JustPaste]
Daesh says it attacked a police and PMF group in the Chalabi area in Al-Waqf east of Baquba with an IED, killing two people and wounding two. [JustPaste]
Muqdadiya/Abu Saida
The Diyala Police Chief says his troops captured a man wanted on terrorism charges in Muqdadiya. [Sumaria]
Northern Diyala (Kifri, Khanaqin, etc.)
A PMF commander says Daesh terrorists are using electrical (hybrid) motorcycles to move in areas between Salahuddin and Diyala because the motorcycles don’t need a lot of power and don’t cause a lot of noise. He says an investigation should be opened to see how Daesh got these modern motorcycles in the area, especially as some of them were made this year. [Sumaria]
The Diyala Civil Defense Directorate says it destroyed a large cache of Daesh explosives found in the Ain Layla area, 90 km (56 miles) in northeast Diyala (photos). [Sumaria]
Daesh says it destroyed an Iraqi Army SUV with 2 IEDs in Qara Tapa. [JustPaste]
Daesh says its terrorists sneaked into a “PMF hideout” in the Albu Taraz area in Udhaim and destroyed an agricultural vehicle, 3 motorcycles, and 3 electricity transformers. [JustPaste]
KIRKUK
Southwest
A Peshmerga source says Peshmerga artillery targeted a Daesh meeting in Hassan Shallal village near Daquq, killing “tens” of terrorists and destroying several vehicles. [Baghdadia]
A local source says Daesh is charging people who want to escape its controlled areas southwest of Kirkuk $200 a person. The source says Daesh wants to generate revenue to pay the salaries of its terrorists in the area, who have not been paid for the last five months. [Sumaria]
NINEWA
Mosul
Mosul Campaign
Mowaffak Al-Rubaie, a member of the Iraqi Parliament’s Security Committee, said that the fighting units preparing to participate in operations to recapture Mosul will be able to operate for six continuous months of combat, while the battles are expected to end “within weeks” of their launch. [Maalomah]
Daesh is building a defense line east of Mosul between Bartella and Bashiqa, according to local sources. However the sources say that the lines are beyond Daesh’s capacity to hold. Instead Daesh has built up its heavy defenses on the city’s west side in an effort to direct the bulk of the battles toward these areas, local sources say. Daesh has built three defensive lines west of the Tigris, placing vehicle bombs, explosive devices and fighters with suicide devices in the western half of the city, in the expectation that it will not be able to hold off the assault coming from multiple directions (Bartella, Bashiqa, Tel Keif, Makhmur) on the eastern side. [Mawsleya]
In a somewhat contradictory report, Daesh has reportedly closed all of its command centers and offices in Mosul and sent its fighters to the fronts east of the city, sources said. The closure even included its office of “spoils of war” ghana’im] which has remained open and confiscating Moslawi property since 2014. The staff of the closed offices have been sent to defend Daesh’s lines in Hamdaniya and Bashiqa east of Mosul, the sources said. Daesh is aware that any breach by the anti-Daesh attack of Daesh’s lines, even in the eastern sectors, would be a major blow to the morale of its fighters. [Mawsleya]
Local sources say Daesh continued blocking the streets of Mosul with concrete barriers and deployed snipers on buildings, especially on the east side of the city where it anticipates the Iraqi attack will start. [ARA]
Daesh launched four rockets at Mosul Dam on Friday without damage to the structure, a KDP media officer said. Coalition planes then destroyed the launch site. [Mawsleya]
Conditions in Mosul
Daesh has issued warrants for the arrest and execution of “tens” of its Arab and foreign fighters who fled from the frontlines, according to sources in Mosul. Daesh has publicized the names on the wanted list, which includes Daesh members who returned to their countries or fled to other parts of Iraq, the source said. While Daesh used to receive “one hundred” fighters from the Arab and foreign countries every day, its number of fighters is now in decline, according to the source. A photo of the document Daesh is circulating about one of the men it is seeking appears on the news story. The document shows a purported picture of an Algerian, “Muhammad Yahya Qurta” known as “Abu Muaz Al-Jazarie Al-Asimi” and instructs all Daesh followers and provinces to capture or kill him whenever he appears (photo). [Sumaria]
Daesh hung the bodies of four innocent men in a public square in Bab Al-Tob neighborhood in central Mosul after executing them on allegations of cooperating with the Iraqi security agencies, local sources say. The bodies bore signs of torture, the sources said. Daesh members were boasting about the crime in order to menace the local population, the sources added. [Mawsleya]
Sources inside Mosul are continuing to report that Daesh families have moved to the western neighborhoods of Mosul in preparation for fleeing into Syria at the start of the Mosul invasion or in the event of a local anti-Daesh uprising. The families are ready to flee “at any moment,” the sources say. [Mawsleya].
Shura/Hammam Alil
Daesh publishes 2 photos of Friday prayers in Hammam Al-Alil. [DawaAlhaq]
Qayara/Makhmur
A security source in Ninewa said that four mortars fell Friday in a residential area of Qayara city, injuring one person. Unlike yesterday’s shelling attack on Qayara the mortars did not contain toxic agents. [Mada]
Daesh says it destroyed an Iraqi Army bulldozer north of Qayara. [JustPaste]
Daesh says it destroyed an Iraqi Army T72 tank with a guided missile north of Qayara. [A3maq]
Daesh says it targeted Iraqi forces in Al-Nassr village on the Tigris with an SPG9 rocket. [JustPaste]
Aftermath of Airstrike Incident in Qayara
In the aftermath of Wednesday’s Coalition airstrike that killed at least 21 Tribal Mobilization fighters, a “well-placed source” is quoted saying that the Tribal Mobilization commander provided the coordinates for the airstrike and that Iraqi Operations confirmed these before communicating them to the Coalition. The source says the Tribal Mobilization commander in the area contacted Operations to inform them that his fighters were taking gunfire from Kharayeb Jaber. The commander provided the coordinates, and the information was confirmed a second time, the source said. The Tribal Mobilization commander confirmed again the house where Daesh was located, and on that basis Operations reportedly provided the information to Coalition planes, who directed a strike on that target. The commander confirmed that the strike was successful, but later it was announced that [the victims of the strike] were from the Mobilization of the Al-Luhaib tribe, the source added. Investigations are ongoing, the source said. [Ghad]
DaeshDaily comment: This source is taking a similar line to the statement issued by the IWMC yesterday which also shifted blame for the errant strike onto the tribal fighters.
Nineveh Plain
Daesh says it targeted Peshmerga positions in different areas near Bashiqa and Nawaran, as well as Aski Mosul, with 150 mortars. [JustPaste]
Northwest (Tal Afar, Sinjar)
Daesh says it attacked a Peshmerga barracks in the Wardiya area, west of Sinjar, killing or wounding several fighters. [JustPaste]
KURDISTAN
A Kurdish news agency says that, according to eyewitnesses, a Turkish F-16 was shot down in the Qandil Mountain area. [Baghdadia]
REPORTS FROM TURKEY
A “source” tells Daesh’s A3maq that Daesh beheaded a Syrian activist in Sanliurfa in southeastern Turkey last Saturday. [A3maq]
The Turkish authorities had said that a Syrian man, who used to be an FSA commander, was kidnapped and shot in the head in Hatay, in far southwestern Turkey, a few days ago. [Etihad]
Social media activists published photos of people from Mosul who fled to Turkey and are held in a Turkish military camp in Antakya. An MP from Ninewa visited the camp in order to facilitate with the Turkish authorities to return the people to Iraq. [Sumaria]
REPORTS FROM SYRIA
The Russian parliament on Friday ratified a treaty with Syria that allows Russian troops to stay indefinitely in the Mideast country, with lawmakers strongly backing the deal in a show of support for embattled Syrian President Bashar Al-Assad.
The development comes against the backdrop of a Syrian army onslaught, backed by Russian warplanes, on the rebel-held eastern part of the city of Aleppo in northern Syria. Since the collapse of a U.S.-Russia-brokered cease-fire last month, ties between Moscow and Washington have grown even more strained. [CBSNews]
The Coalition says it conducted 9 airstrikes on Daesh targets in Syria (near Shaddadi (5), Ain Eissa (1), Mare’ (2), and Albu Kamal (1)). [InherentResolve]
Northeast (Hasaka, Raqqa)
Hasaka
A local activist says Coalition planes targeted a school in Tal Al-Jayer village, east of Shaddadi, killing a young man. He says the village is on the frontlines between the YPG and Daesh, and the Coalition started the bombing after Daesh tried to advance in the area. [ARA]
Northwest (Aleppo, Idlib)
Al-Bab
Local activists say Daesh arrested 70 Kurdish civilians in Shadoud village, north of Al-Bab. He also says many civilian Kurds fled their villages near Al-Bab, fearing Daesh arrests. [BasNews]
Local activists say Ahrar Al-Sharqiya, a Turkey-backed opposition groups, released a Daesh terrorist it captured near Al-Ra’i three months ago after his family in Deir Ez-Zor paid $6,500. [ARA]
An opposition groups commander says the opposition, supported by the Turkish artillery and Coalition planes, captured Yarmouk village, southwest of Al-Ra’i, after heavy battles with Daesh. He also says the opposition advanced towards Jarez. [ARA]
Local sources say a man, his wife, and his daughter were killed by a Coalition airstrike on Barouza village in the Al-Bab area. [Hawar]
The SOHR says Daesh shelled Mare’, without reports of casualties. [SyriaHR]
Daesh publishes 2 photos of battles with opposition groups in Qantara village, east of Al-Ra’i. [DawaAlhaq]
Azaz
The Turkish Army says it destroyed 49 Daesh targets in north Aleppo using rockets, tanks, and artillery. It also says Turkish planes destroyed 18 Daesh targets. It says nine opposition fighters were killed and thirty-two wounded in the battles against Daesh, while the Turkish troops didn’t sustain any casualties. [Qasioun]
Afrin
The SOHR says 9,000 civilians have left their houses in north Aleppo and arrived in YPG-controlled areas since late August. [SyriaHR]
Other Northwest Syria
A local activist says rockets and mortar shells fell on government-controlled areas in west Aleppo, killing five civilians and wounding more than ten. [ARA]
Daesh publishes 2 photos of targeting a Syrian Army position with an SPG9 rocket in Aisha village, north of Kowaires. [CTSS]
Central and West (Homs, Hama, etc.)
Syrian troops stopped a Daesh attack in the Talila area, near Tadmur, destroying 2 machine gun mounted vehicles. [SyriaNow]
The SOHR says Daesh attacked Syrian troops with a vehicle bomb in the Silos area, east of Tadmur. It also says warplanes conducted several airstrikes on Daesh in the area. [SyriaHR]
Daesh says it captured 3 Syrian Army barricades near Tadmur silos, killing five soldiers and wounding others, and capturing 4 heavy machine guns and other weapons and ammunition. [DawaAlhaq]
Daesh issues a video of the spoils. [A3maq]
Daesh publishes a photos of Friday prayers in Khudhaira village, east of Hama. [DawaAlhaq]
Daesh publishes photos of its terrorists near Mabouja village, east of Hama. [DawaAlhaq]
East (Deir Ez-Zor)
The SOHR says warplanes conducted more than 16 airstrikes on Deir Ez-Zor city. [SyriaHR]
OTHER MIDDLE EAST/NORTH AFRICA REPORTS
North Africa
Egypt
Daesh says it killed five policemen and destroyed their armored vehicle with an IED west of Arish. [A3maq]
A security source says an IED exploded near the Youth City in Arish, without causing human casualties. [VetoGate]
A security source says a policeman was wounded when an IED exploded on his armored vehicle in the Kilo 17 area, in Arish. [VetoGate]
A security source says ABM terrorists broke into a medical facility in Sheikh Zuweid and stole 2 vehicles. [VetoGate]
Libya
Northeast
The UN Envoy to Libya, Martin Kobler, says the UN is ready to support the evacuation of civilians who are trapped Qanfouda, and asks for a ceasefire for humanitarian purposes. [Libya24]
Central coast
A Libyan military source says American and Libyan planes conducted 10 airstrikes on Daesh positions in Sirte, 5 each. [Anadolu]
A GNA military source says a GNA commander and a soldier were killed and sixteen wounded in the battles against Daesh in Sirte. GNA troops have started to advance toward the Jiza and 600 areas, the Daesh last controlled areas in Sirte. [AfriGate] [AfriGate]
However, Misrata Hospital says four GNA fighters were killed and thirty-five wounded in the fighting in Sirte. [Wasat]
SOCIAL MEDIA
FSA fighters film inside captured Daesh tunnels and underground hideouts in Jarabulus. Later, one of the fighters displays a captured Quran with what sounds like a Daesh nom de guerre for an Iraqi member written inside: “Abu Hammam al-Kirkuki” [YouTube]
Video purports to show Iraqis gathered in a public space somewhere in Anbar governorate to determine which members of the community had been Daesh members. As Iraqi officer asks “Is this one a Daeshi or not?” the assembled residents denounce a terrified young man called up from within the crowd, saying he was a Daesh member. [Twitter]
Following up our earlier report of pro-PMF Twitter users linking the PMF to Shia imagery in advance of the observance of Ashura, a new hashtag has emerged in the same vein, also promoting an explicit link between historical Shia religious imagery and the contemporary mobilization against Daesh: “Our Mobilization From the Zeal of Al-Abbas” (in Arabic), referring to the half-brother of Hussein who also died in the battle of Kerbala in the year 680, which is commemorated by Shia Muslims each year in the observance of Ashura. [Twitter].
Iraqis hostile to the Turkish presence in Ninewa have been tweeting with the hashtag #TurkeyOutIraq to protest the Turkish deployment. See for example this tweet showing a picture of Turkish President Erdogan smiling with KRG President Barzani, labeled (in Arabic) “We want a unified [i.e. Iraqi] position against the bald-faced Turkish interference!” [Twitter] However, the same hashtag has drawn some support of the Turkish presence by others who say that the Turkish presence will protect from Iranian influence and/or Shia militias, for example one user who expects the Turkish presence to stop the PMFs from approaching Mosul. [Twitter]
Photos purportedly show Turkmen PMFs helping “tens of families” who fled Daesh-held Hawija to relocate to safe locations. [Twitter]
Photo of Ninewa Governor Nawful Hammadi meeting with representatives of international organizations to discuss preparations for relief operations in Mosul. [Facebook]
A Wahhabi cleric says Hurricane Matthew is God’s punishment on the US for displacing Muslims. The same sentiment was repeated in Daesh fanboys’ accounts. [Twitter]
The majority of the responses were against the tweet. Many respondents accused the cleric of being a Daesh supporter.
Videos of the Day
A video of opposition groups in Akhtarin [Qasioun]
