Peshmerga forces start clearing Iraq’s Sinjar

[Jefferson23]

Reuters, Sinjar Thursday, 12 November 2015

Kurdish peshmerga forces have started clearing parts of the northern Iraqi town of Sinjar and have established positions along an Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS) supply route between Raqqa in Syria and Mosul in Iraq, the group’s main bastions, said the U.S.-led coalition.

“The ground assault began in the early morning hours of Nov. 12, when peshmerga units successfully established blocking positions along Highway 47 and began clearing Sinjar,” it said.

“The peshmerga will continue operations to re-establish government control over key portions of the areas.”

Kurdish forces launched an offensive on Thursday to retake the northern Iraqi town more than a year after ISIS militants overran it killing and enslaving thousands of its Yazidi residents and triggering U.S.-led air strikes.

http://english.alarabiya.net/en/News/middle-east/2015/11/12/Peshmerga-battle-ISIS-to-retake-Iraq-s-Sinjar.html

[bemildred]

1. Kurdish Iraqis Take Center of Sinjar From Islamic State

raqi Kurdish militia fighters fighting to take back Sinjar from Islamic State militants reached the town center on Friday, raising a Kurdish flag and firing off celebratory gunfire following a major offensive to retake the strategic Iraqi town.

Associated Press journalists witnessed the celebrations, though a Kurdish officer cautioned that it was too soon to declare the town fully liberated.

The Kurdish forces encountered little resistance, at least initially, suggesting that many of the IS fighters may have pulled out of the town in anticipation of Friday's advance.

Kurdish militia fighters known as peshmerga launched a major offensive to retake Sinjar and succeeded in cutting a key nearby highway on Thursday. U.S.-led coalition airstrikes supported the offensive, dubbed Operation Free Sinjar.

http://abcnews.go.com/International/wireStory/kurdish-iraqis-set-enter-sinjar-islamic-state-35171884

[bemildred]

2. Run, Surrender or Die: Kurds Boot Out ISIL From Northern Iraq

After a series of clashes, Kurdish militias began to push ISIL away from the Sinjar province of Northern Iraq, Peshmerga General Taib Abdullah Gurdy told Sputnik.

ISIL is losing a large number of fighters and heavy weaponry. During a recent military operation, Kurds managed to kill Abu Jihad, a major ISIL intelligence officer in the Sinjar province, the Peshmerga general said.

"We have regained 70 percent of Sinjar," Gurdy informed.

According to the Peshmerga general, there are no Iraqi government troops fighting against ISIL, but several units of Kurdish volunteer militia forces.

"More than 7,000 Pershmerga fighters are taking part in the operations, and another 20,000 are ready to join the fight at any given moment," Gurdy told Sputnik.

http://sputniknews.com/middleeast/20151112/1030004006/kurds-peshmerga-isil-sinjar-iraq.html

[bemildred]

3. Finally, There's Some Good News in the Battle Against ISIS

Big-time leaders are rumored dead, while the allied forces on the ground are on the offensive.

It's been a tough couple of months in the battle against the so-called Islamic State, but the news coming out of Iraq and Syria on this November Friday marks a refreshing change of pace. If the tide isn't turning, there are at least a few things to hang on to.

First,​ The Daily Beast and others report that the U.S. is "pretty damn sure" that it has killed Jihadi John, the jeering sadist with a British accent who beheaded multiple ISIS hostages on camera, with an airstrike. The figure, identified as Mohammed Emwazi by those who knew him back home, was part of "the Beatles," a group of three British nationals who tortured and murdered U.S. and British hostages, including James Foley. A senior U.S. administration official told the Beast that "​the U.S. military followed Emwazi for the better part of a day leading up to the strike, which happened as he left a building.​"

Second, the Kurdish Peshmerga—widely considered the most capable anti-ISIS ground forces—​are believed to have struck two blows against the terror group. ​The New York Times ​reports they teamed with Yazidi fighters to take a crucial highway in Northern Iraq, one which serves as a supply line between the ISIS-held Mosul, in Iraq, and Eastern Syria, where ISIS can move freely. That was part of a larger push to retake the city of Sinjar from the Islamists. According to ​The Guardian​, Kurdish forces have now entered Sinjar. The Kurdish regional president in Iraq claims the city has been retaken, but U.S. and other Kurdish officials have been more cautious in their appraisals.

http://www.esquire.com/news-politics/news/a39692/good-isis-news/

[Jefferson23]

4. I'm not sure how one defines good news in the ME any longer.

*Reports differ, per ​The Guardian​, on whether their offensive to retake the city has begun. Iraqi military officials say their forces have already begun efforts to clear the city, while municipal officials and a police officer said that while security forces have surrounded the city, the operation had not yet begun. Recapturing Ramadi, a major city of 450,000 just 60 miles west of Baghdad, would be a major psychological and strategic victory for the Iraqis. Its initial fall to ISIS in May dealt a huge blow to Iraq's central government.



We'll see and thanks again for the added links, always appreciated.

[bemildred]

5. I do find it hard to be optimistic.

"Good" can look remarkably ugly in these things, and just because they get ISIS caged, that doesn't mean the parties to the dispute will give up on fighting each other. And then you have provocative buffoons like Bibi and Erdogan and the Sauds running around and trying to stir up more trouble.

Edit: And Iran is talking big a lot too.

[Jefferson23]

6. Yes, and although there should be talk of a resolve, a move toward some kind of

agreements, these players quite frankly, suck at thinking.

[bemildred]

7. Keep an eye on Ukriaine too, Winter is coming, and nobody is happy with the present situation.

Except maybe Putin. I don't think that is over yet.

[Jefferson23]

8. I was reading an account from a teacher recently in Ukraine about her kids who generally

have a celebration this time of year....they ask for something they really want,
and the teachers try and find a way for them to receive it. This year they
just want school and no more war. Too sad for too many.