Important Updates on the Iraqi Uprising Against Dictator Maliki
by Iraqi Spring Media Center on 17-06-2014
| BRussells Tribunal |
A look into recent developments of the Iraqi uprising against Maliki. Videos and eyewitness testimonies will give the reader a different perspective of current events inside Iraq.
Fighting in Mosul against Maliki's army
Video from Mosul. Markets are open and fighters who are NOT related to ISIS but rather to the Military councils, greet the people
Video of People in Mosul greeting tribal fighters
Video of the municipality removing concrete barriers and checkpoint. People travel freely now. Checkpoints annoyed civilians more than it protected them during Maliki's presence.
Interview with a police officer in Mosul after the takeover confirm their comfort with the presence of the tribal fighters and request the fighters to protect the city banks and infrastructure and the readiness of the police force to work with them.
Civilian confirming that the revolutionaries in his area are not ISIS and that the revolution is for all Iraqis and that the banks are under the protection of the revolutionaries now
Civilian asking people who fled Mosul to come back after it is free. Roads are all open and services are being repaired.
Civilian saying that Mosul is peaceful and he has no obstruction in movement.
Civilian refugee who returned to Mosul after being welcomed by revolutionaries.
Another civilian guard confirming Mosul is safe and no looting occurred.
Revolutionary guarding the governorate in Mosul.
Checkpoints are now open.
Burnt vehicles being removed by civil services in Mosul.
Mosul University guarded by the revolutionaries opens its doors.
An escaped soldier interviewed in Erbil after the army escaped from Mosul says that the commanders fled and they woke up on their own.
Another soldier who fled to Erbil confirms the army was ready for battle but were then left with no commanders who fled by helicopters. He also explains how they withdrew to Erbil.
The battles moved southwards quickly behind the crumbling forces of Maliki to try and prevent any re-organisation of his troops, any slowdown would give Maliki the opportunity to carve new lines of engagement in the defence of Baghdad.
But Maliki managed to dispatch troops into tarmiyah and Taji.
The military councils attacked the 4th division HQ in Tikrit and now control the city.
The military councils also filmed their own convoys of fighters in Tikrit in an attempt to tell people that the battle is not only a battle between Isis and Maliki
The military council also erects checkpoints to secure highways
Tel Afar with a major Shia population also welcomes the revolutionaries after they took the city. There were fears of revenge but soon after they entered, the revolutionaries did not harm them and cleared the remaining pockets of Maliki’s troops in the old castle. Now the whole city is controlled by the tribes.
Samarra was avoided to deprive Maliki of any publicity that he is defending the shrines and revolutionaries drove down to Tarmiyah and Taji, where fierce fighting is occurring now to clear these areas and proceed to Baghdad further South.
On the western front Sahwas are falling apart in Ramadi and the revolutionaries are taking control of more terrain and neighbourhoods in the city. As we all know the city is plagued with tribal affiliations that make things a bit complicated but they seem to be negotiating their way into control. In most areas Maliki ordered all remaining troops in far isolated areas to withdraw to Habaniyah airbase in an effort to bolster his presence west of Fallujah and to shorten logistic lines.
Sahwas remain in Haditha currently in battle with ISIS in that area.
The military council has launched several attacks on Garma bridge from the north of the Mazraa base east of Fallujah and from Fallujah to create a pincer movement and clear the military base. There is some ground gained but the base is very large and needs more attention. Without clearing this base the revolutionaries would not take the risk of proceeding to Baghdad and leave their backs open to a counter attack.
There is another front Southwest of the airport pushing into the South East of Baghdad cutting supply routes from the southern provinces both the Military councils and ISIS are moving in these areas as well. Baghdad is surrounded completely from three directions: North, West and South. Maliki is sending militias on the outskirts to scare people into staying at home.
Internet services have been suspended in Baghdad to avoid information and news from getting out. Some TV channels have had their phone numbers blocked by Telecom, so no one can call and give eye witness information.
North East of Baghdad on another front in Baquba, ISIS is battling Maliki there while the Military council is clearing villages on the road to Baghdad. Everyone is waiting for the Baghdad battle to start but no one knows from which direction or when the attack will come. Families of officials have either fled Baghdad through the airport to neighbouring countries or to London or to Erbil.
Also in Diyala the university closed down it's dorms so the students can go to their homes safely.
Information on the battles in Tarmiyah and Taji is still yet to come. The Iraqi Spring Media Center is having difficulty locating their reporter there so they are trying to send another into the area so we can all have some information of what is actually happening there.
In the South of Iraq Maliki dispatched troops to Nassiriyah to secure the city after several reports emerged that the people of the city are planning on launching demonstrations against him that may trigger other cities in the South to join in.
This is a quick update on what is happening. ISIS remains unfortunately the talk of the Mass Media in an effort to save the corrupt political process. Any intervention whether from foreign states or the Iranian Regime will proclaim that they are fighting terrorists from ISIS, same old game as in 2005 and 2006.
Religious clerics who were silent for 11 years suddenly appeared on facebook pages carrying guns to rally people to defend the political process. They see themselves clearly as part of the establishment that loots Iraq. People are gossiping about them and ask where have they been all these years?
Maliki is trying really hard to pretend that he is the saviour of Shias and that if his rule collapses it will be the end of everyone.
Kurdish peshmerga belonging to Barzani are looting military equipment and police vehicles in areas close to their borders simply taking advantage, like in 2003 to rob any equipment not being attended to. They are also increasing their presence in Kirkuk in an attempt to claim it in the current power vacuum.
Peshmegra belonging to Talabani and backed by Iran tried this morning to attack ISIS, in an attempt to drag the other Peshmergas - belonging to Barzani - into the battle, but this Iranian move failed clearly. Barzani has no intention to get involved in any fighting what so ever. He only wants to benefit from the collapse. He hates Maliki just as much as anyone else.
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