Category: Tikrit

Iraqi drive to retake Tikrit from Islamic State stalls

17/3/2015

Saddam Hussein

Over last weekend the offensive against the Islamic State to retake Tikrit, Saddam Hussein's home town, stalled.

The attackers including many Shiite militia and led by an Iranian general have penetrated to the outskirts of Tikrit and are said to have the IS surrounded in the central part of the city up cut off by the Tigris river.

The Islamic State fighters are vastly outnumbered by the Iraqi forces but have formidable defenses. Iraqi forces attempted to retake the city before and as before had declared an imminent victory just before they halted the attack. The government also claimed that it needed more air support to take the city and reinforcements as well. No date was set to resume the attack. However, a spokesperson for the Interior Ministry claimed this was only a temporary halt in the attack. The US has not been involved in the offensive. Perhaps Iraq is now requesting US air support although Iraq has a number of new attack helicopters. Iraqi reports are confusing with some officials saying that they only intended to take surrounding villages which they have already done.

The battle for Tikrit has been ongoing for two weeks now beginning on March 2. Officials also claimed that they were pausing the offensive to preserve property and save civilian lives by allowing them to escape from areas controlled by the Islamic State. Last week Iraqi officials claimed not only that there were just a handful of IS forces surrounded in central Tikrit but that the Iraq government would gain control in a matter of days.

Many analysts worry that there could be revenge attacks by Shia militias against Sunni inhabitants and many civilian casualties. If air support is called in to a battle within the city there is bound to be considerable damage to infrastructure and remaining civilians may be casualties.

Alaa Makki a member of the mostly Sunni Islamic Party said: "There is a minimum amount of Daesh (IS) fighters in Tikrit. They are controlling the situation there--wow!" However, the Iraqi Interior Minister said that the Iraqi forces wanted to give citizens a chance to evacuate their areas and also wanted to preserve the infrastructure of the city as well as ensuring the least number of lives lost among the security forces. The IS has booby-trapped roads and buildings leading into the city slowing the advance the Iraqi forces. Outside the city Saddam Hussein's tomb is said to have been badly damaged in fact virtually destroyed.

Tikrit is in the heart of the Sunni triangle where the majority of citizens are Sunni and who were strong supporters of Hussein.

The apparent difficulty in retaking Tikrit places in doubt whether the larger IS-controlled city of Mosul will be retaken any time soon.

Sources:
http://www.nytimes.com/2015/03/17/world/middleeast/islamic-state-tikrit-iraq-offensive.html?_r=0
http://news.antiwar.com/2015/03/16/iraq-halts-tikrit-offensive-leaving-isis-in-control/
http://www.thenational.ae/world/middle-east/iraq-puts-tikrit-offensive-on-hold
http://news.sky.com/story/1446189/tikrit-offensive-on-hold-so-civilians-can-flee

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Iran plays key role in offensive to free Tikrit, Iraq

6/3/2015

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Map of Iraqi city of Tikrit

Thousands are fleeing from Tikrit as Iraqi forces are gathering for an offensive to drive out Islamic State forces. Many of those fleeing are being held up at checkpoints on the road to Samarra. Relief supplies are being sent to them. Some residents are reported as being held as human shields to protect the IS militants. The residents are fleeing not only to escape the battle but also the aftermath.

Many fear that the Shia militia who are involved in the offensive will take revenge on the Sunni inhabitants some of whom supported the Islamic State. In other areas of Iraq Shi'ite militia have been accused of war crimes. Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi warned militia members that if they did not respect human rights they would be punished.

The commander of the operation against Tikrit is an Iranian general: "General Qassem Suleimani, the commander of Iran's Quds Force, has been spotted drinking tea and leading operations against ISIS in the Iraqi city of Tikrit.

The city, which is the birthplace of the late Iraqi dictator Saddam Hussein, has been under militant control since June 2014. " Prime Minister al-Abadi requested that the US and Iran not carry their conflict over to the battles against the Islamic State. However, the US will not be involved in the offensive against Tikrit a sign that there is little cooperation in the battle against the IS. US officials insist that they do not coordinate their activities with the Iranians a situation which may make attacks against the IS much less effective than they could be.

The Americans, and even more the Saudis, worry about Iran having any lead role. Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Saud al-Faisal said in a news conference with John Kerry: "What is happening in Tikrit is exactly what we are worried about. Iran is taking over the country." Kerry, US Secretary of State, had a more positive spin on the Tikrit offensive:
"This was put together by the Iraqis, formulated by the Iraqis, executed by the Iraqis, and that's the best thing all of us could, frankly, ask for. So we take it the way it is and we'll hope for the best results and move from there."

Indeed, it was the decision of the Iraqis not to ask the US-led coalition to coordinate or even provide air strikes for Iraqi ground forces. Joint Chiefs Chairman General Martin Dempsey said that about two thirds of those involved in the offensive action against Tikrit are Shiite militias supported by Iran which also is providing artillery and other equipment. The remaining one third are regular Iraqi troops.The Iraqis are able to play off the Iranians against the Americans. Stephen Biddle, of George Washington University, who has acted as a consultant to US commanders, said that the Iraqis see Iranians as a useful alternative to Americans. The US would like to see a more accommodative approach in order to integrate Sunnis into the Iraqi political system.

Tikrit was Saddam Hussein's home town and a strongly Sunni city. Perhaps, the US pushed Iraq too hard on recognizing Sunni concerns with respect to the Tikrit offensive as Biddle suggests, and the Iraqis decided to turn to the Iranians to lead the offensive.

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Iraqi drive to retake Tikrit from Islamic State stalls

Iran plays key role in offensive to free Tikrit, Iraq

Ken Hanly

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