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By Simon Kent.

Unconfirmed reports suggest a Saudi Arabian national under the nom de guerre "Abu Wathbah al-Saudi," has been shot dead in Mosul, the last urban stronghold of the self declared Islamic State. The terrorist's role was apparently the recruitment of child soldiers.

If true, it would only be one in a string of assassinations of IS members in the city. Last year, it was reported that two IS members were shot dead in Mosul by men smoking cigarettes on a street corner. In an apparent trap, the IS fighters were killed as they approached the men to arrest them for smoking, which is strictly forbidden in IS territory. Other reports suggest Sunni resistance groups have reported IS locations to Coalition warplanes.

(Source: Iraqi News)

By Adnan Abu Zeed for Al Monitor. Any opinions expressed here are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of Iraq Business News. 

On July 26, the Iraqi government announced that the Popular Mobilization Units (PMU) will be converted into “an independent military formation affiliated with the armed forces’ commander-in-chief.” The Shiite force was formed in June 2014 in response to religious calls to take up arms against the Islamic State (IS).

Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi’s decision sparked an uproar among Iraq’s Kurds and Sunnis. On Aug. 14, the Kurdish news site Rudaw collected the opinions of analysts and ordinary citizens, all of whom criticized the move as a step toward forming a parallel military force.

Other reports claimed that the government’s decision to take control of the PMU, which participated in the liberation of Salahuddin, Ramadi and Fallujah and are planning to join the battle for Mosul, reflects “a plan to establish a guard similar to Iran’s Revolutionary Guard Corps.”

Qasim Mozan, a reporter for the Iraqi Media Network, told Al-Monitor the government’s decision will “turn the PMU into a security force that follows the orders of the prime minister, [which would allow him] to fix any security gap [within the PMU] in a swift and efficient manner.”

Journalist Hassan al-Shanoun told Al-Monitor, “This project will distance the PMU from partisan and sectarian influence and will strengthen the government’s power [over the PMU] while weakening the political blocs that are part of the PMU factions.”

PMU leader Ahmed al-Assadi supported Abadi’s decision. He told Al-Monitor, “The PMU will turn into a government force that is independent from the political parties’ control, as it will report directly to the commander-in-chief of the armed forces, Abadi.”

The PMU are currently associated with known political forces such as the Peace Brigades led by the Sadrist movement, the Ashura Brigades affiliated with the Islamic Supreme Council of Iraq, Asa'ib Ahl al-Haq headed by Mahdi Army defector Sheikh Qais al-Khazali, the Hezbollah Brigades with their ties to Lebanese Hezbollah, and the Badr organization led by parliament member Hadi al-Amiri.

Many factions part of the PMU today will probably wish for the organization to remain in its current form and serve as a legal cover for them to exercise their influence in a role similar to that of Hezbollah in Lebanon. Nevertheless, Assadi commented, “The factions that refuse to turn [the PMU] into an independent government force will be considered outlaws.”

U.S. and coalition military forces continued to attack Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant terrorists in Syria and Iraq yesterday, Combined Joint Task Force Operation Inherent Resolve officials reported today.

Officials reported details of yesterday’s strikes, noting that assessments of results are based on initial reports.

Strikes in Syria

Bomber, fighter, attack, ground-attack, and remotely piloted aircraft conducted 18 strikes in Syria:

• Near Dayr Az Zawr, two strikes destroyed 15 ISIL oil tankers.
• Near Manbij, 15 strikes struck 14 separate ISIL tactical units and destroyed eight ISIL fighting positions, six ISIL vehicles, an ISIL heavy machine gun and an ISIL vehicle bomb.
• Near Palmyra, a strike struck an ISIL tactical unit and destroyed an ISIL vehicle.

Strikes in Iraq

Fighter and remotely piloted aircraft and rocket artillery conducted nine strikes in Iraq, coordinated with and in support of Iraq’s government:

• Near Baghdadi, two strikes destroyed five ISIL rocket rails, an ISIL rocket cache, two ISIL-used tunnels, and two ISIL fighting positions.
• Near Hit, a strike destroyed two ISIL vehicles, an ISIL vehicle storage area, and an ISIL mortar cache and damaged an ISIL fighting position.
• Near Mosul, two strikes struck two separate ISIL tactical units and destroyed an ISIL artillery piece, an ISIL vehicle and an ISIL fighting position.
• Near Qayyarah, two strikes struck a large ISIL tactical unit and destroyed an ISIL tactical vehicle, five ISIL assembly areas, two ISIL-used tunnels, two ISIL vehicle bombs, 22 ISIL rocket rails and 22 ISIL rockets and denied ISIL access to terrain.
• Near Ramadi, a strike destroyed an ISIL mortar system and damaged an ISIL fighting position.
• Near Sultan Abdallah, a strike destroyed an ISIL weapons cache.

Task force officials define a strike as one or more kinetic events that occur in roughly the same geographic location to produce a single, sometimes cumulative, effect. Therefore, officials explained, a single aircraft delivering a single weapon against a lone ISIL vehicle is one strike, but so is multiple aircraft delivering dozens of weapons against buildings, vehicles and weapon systems in a compound, for example, having the cumulative effect of making those targets harder or impossible for ISIL to use. Accordingly, officials said, they do not report the number or type of aircraft employed in a strike, the number of munitions dropped in each strike, or the number of individual munition impact points against a target. Ground-based artillery fired in counterfire or in fire support to maneuver roles is not classified as a strike.

Part of Operation Inherent Resolve

The strikes were conducted as part of Operation Inherent Resolve, the operation to eliminate the ISIL terrorist group and the threat they pose to Iraq, Syria, and the wider international community. The destruction of ISIL targets in Syria and Iraq further limits the terrorist group's ability to project terror and conduct operations, officials said.

Coalition nations that have conducted strikes in Iraq include the United States, Australia, Belgium, Canada, Denmark, France, Jordan, the Netherlands and the United Kingdom. Coalition nations that have conducted strikes in Syria include the United States, Australia, Bahrain, Canada, Denmark, France, Jordan, the Netherlands, Saudi Arabia, Turkey, the United Arab Emirates and the United Kingdom.

(Source: US Dept of Defense)

By Adnan Abu Zeed for Al-Monitor. Any opinions expressed are those of the author, and do not necessarily reflect the views of Iraq Business News.

Iraq’s parliament passed a de-Baathification law July 30, banning any political activity by the Baath Party under any name. However, the move did not end the controversy over the party’s social impact on the Iraqi community.

While some view the law as a victory for justice, others warn it may have negative political and social consequences for Iraq’s stability. Mohammed Ali Al-Masoudi, a parliament member for the Shiite National Coalition, said in a press statement July 30 that banning the Baath Party “is a step forward on the path to ensure Iraq’s stability militarily and politically, as the law will prevent Baathist elites from taking up managerial positions.”

Ousama al-Yasiri, one of the leaders of the 1991 uprising against the Baath in Babil, told Al-Monitor that the newly passed law is “a victory for the families of the Baath victims.”

However, there were some internal opposing voices in the parliamentary voting sessions. In exchange for passing the Baath ban law, some Sunni political parties called for amending the law as per the Justice and Accountability Act so as to allow some Baathists, including Saddam loyalists, to receive pensions.

Some external forces also spoke out against the law, such as Saudi Foreign Minister Adel al-Jubeir, who called for the “abolition of the de-Baathification law to ensure the unity and stability of Iraq.”

U.S. and coalition military forces continued to attack Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant terrorists in Syria and Iraq on Monday, Combined Joint Task Force Operation Inherent Resolve officials reported on Tuesday.

Officials reported details of yesterday’s strikes, noting that assessments of results are based on initial reports.

Strikes in Syria

Attack and remotely piloted aircraft conducted seven strikes in Syria:

• Near Dayr Az Zawr, a strike destroyed nine ISIL oil tankers.
• Near Manbij, four strikes struck three separate ISIL tactical units and destroyed an ISIL fighting position, an ISIL vehicle and an ISIL tactical vehicle.
• Near Mara, a strike destroyed an ISIL front-end loader.
• Near Palmyra, a strike struck an ISIL tactical unit and destroyed an ISIL vehicle.

Strikes in Iraq

Attack, fighter, and remotely piloted aircraft and rocket artillery conducted eight strikes in Iraq, coordinated with and in support of Iraq’s government:

• Near Baghdadi, a strike struck an ISIL tactical unit.
• Near Hit, a strike struck an ISIL tactical unit and destroyed an ISIL fighting position.
• Near Kisik, two strikes destroyed 30 ISIL rocket rails and 10 ISIL rockets and suppressed an ISIL mortar position.
• Near Mosul, two strikes struck a large ISIL tactical unit and destroyed three ISIL vehicles, an ISIL mortar system and an ISIL assembly area and denied ISIL access to terrain.
• Near Qayyarah, a strike struck an ISIL tactical unit.
• Near Sultan Abdallah, a strike struck a large ISIL tactical unit and destroyed eight ISIL assembly areas, an ISIL weapons cache and an ISIL vehicle.

Task force officials define a strike as one or more kinetic events that occur in roughly the same geographic location to produce a single, sometimes cumulative, effect. Therefore, officials explained, a single aircraft delivering a single weapon against a lone ISIL vehicle is one strike, but so is multiple aircraft delivering dozens of weapons against buildings, vehicles and weapon systems in a compound, for example, having the cumulative effect of making those targets harder or impossible for ISIL to use. Accordingly, officials said, they do not report the number or type of aircraft employed in a strike, the number of munitions dropped in each strike, or the number of individual munition impact points against a target. Ground-based artillery fired in counterfire or in fire support to maneuver roles is not classified as a strike.

Part of Operation Inherent Resolve

The strikes were conducted as part of Operation Inherent Resolve, the operation to eliminate the ISIL terrorist group and the threat they pose to Iraq, Syria, and the wider international community. The destruction of ISIL targets in Syria and Iraq further limits the terrorist group's ability to project terror and conduct operations, officials said.

Coalition nations that have conducted strikes in Iraq include the United States, Australia, Belgium, Canada, Denmark, France, Jordan, the Netherlands and the United Kingdom. Coalition nations that have conducted strikes in Syria include the United States, Australia, Bahrain, Canada, Denmark, France, Jordan, the Netherlands, Saudi Arabia, Turkey, the United Arab Emirates and the United Kingdom.

(Source: US Dept of Defense)

U.S. and coalition military forces continued to attack Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant terrorists in Syria and Iraq on Sunday, Combined Joint Task Force Operation Inherent Resolve officials reported on Monday.

Officials reported details of yesterday’s strikes, noting that assessments of results are based on initial reports.

Strikes in Syria

Attack, fighter, and remotely piloted aircraft conducted six strikes in Syria:

• Near Abu Kamal, a strike destroyed 83 ISIL oil tankers.
• Near Manbij, four strikes struck four separate ISIL tactical units and destroyed seven ISIL fighting positions.
• Near Mar’a, a strike struck an ISIL tactical unit and destroyed an ISIL mortar system and an ISIL fighting position.

Strikes in Iraq

Fighter, remotely piloted aircraft and rocket artillery conducted eight strikes in Iraq, coordinated with and in support of Iraq’s government:

• Near Kisik, a strike destroyed an ISIL tunnel entrance.
• Near Mosul, two strikes struck an ISIL headquarters and destroyed two ISIL fighting positions and degraded an ISIL tunnel.
• Near Qayyarah, two strikes struck two separate ISIL tactical units and destroyed six ISIL rocket systems, three ISIL assembly areas, an ISIL tactical vehicle and an ISIL mortar system.
• Near Ramadi, a strike destroyed an ISIL mortar system, an ISIL supply cache and an ISIL fighting position.
• Near Sinjar, a strike suppressed an ISIL mortar position.
• Near Sultan Abdallah, a strike destroyed two ISIL weapons facilities, an ISIL headquarters and an ISIL vehicle bomb storage facility.

Task force officials define a strike as one or more kinetic events that occur in roughly the same geographic location to produce a single, sometimes cumulative, effect. Therefore, officials explained, a single aircraft delivering a single weapon against a lone ISIL vehicle is one strike, but so is multiple aircraft delivering dozens of weapons against buildings, vehicles and weapon systems in a compound, for example, having the cumulative effect of making those targets harder or impossible for ISIL to use. Accordingly, officials said, they do not report the number or type of aircraft employed in a strike, the number of munitions dropped in each strike, or the number of individual munition impact points against a target. Ground-based artillery fired in counterfire or in fire support to maneuver roles is not classified as a strike.

Part of Operation Inherent Resolve

The strikes were conducted as part of Operation Inherent Resolve, the operation to eliminate the ISIL terrorist group and the threat they pose to Iraq, Syria, and the wider international community. The destruction of ISIL targets in Syria and Iraq further limits the terrorist group's ability to project terror and conduct operations, officials said.

Coalition nations that have conducted strikes in Iraq include the United States, Australia, Belgium, Canada, Denmark, France, Jordan, the Netherlands and the United Kingdom. Coalition nations that have conducted strikes in Syria include the United States, Australia, Bahrain, Canada, Denmark, France, Jordan, the Netherlands, Saudi Arabia, Turkey, the United Arab Emirates and the United Kingdom.

(Source: US Dept of Defense)

U.S. and coalition military forces continued to attack Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant terrorists in Iraq and Syria on Saturday, Combined Joint Task Force Operation Inherent Resolve officials reported on Sunday.

Officials reported details of the latest strikes, noting that assessments of results are based on initial reports.

Strikes in Syria

Bomber, fighter and remotely piloted aircraft conducted eight strikes in Syria:

• Near Dayr Az Zawr, one strike destroyed an ISIL oil tanker.
• Near Manbij, seven strikes struck seven separate ISIL tactical units and destroyed six ISIL fighting positions and an ISIL improvised explosive device.

Strikes in Iraq

Attack, fighter and remotely piloted aircraft and rocket artillery conducted eight strikes in Iraq, coordinated with and in support of Iraq’s government:

• Near Albu Hayat, a strike destroyed an ISIL mortar system.
• Near Fallujah, a strike produced inconclusive results.
• Near Mosul, two strikes struck an ISIL tactical unit and destroyed an ISIL vehicle and an ISIL fighting position and suppressed an ISIL heavy machine gun position.
• Near Qayyarah, three strikes struck a large ISIL tactical unit and an ISIL headquarters and destroyed an ISIL vehicle bomb facility and an ISIL training camp.
• Near Ramadi, a strike destroyed an ISIL tactical vehicle, two ISIL vehicle staging areas, an ISIL vehicle and an ISIL fighting position.

Task force officials define a strike as one or more kinetic events that occur in roughly the same geographic location to produce a single, sometimes cumulative, effect. Therefore, officials explained, a single aircraft delivering a single weapon against a lone ISIL vehicle is one strike, but so is multiple aircraft delivering dozens of weapons against buildings, vehicles and weapon systems in a compound, for example, having the cumulative effect of making those targets harder or impossible for ISIL to use. Accordingly, officials said, they do not report the number or type of aircraft employed in a strike, the number of munitions dropped in each strike, or the number of individual munition impact points against a target. Ground-based artillery fired in counterfire or in fire support to maneuver roles is not classified as a strike.

Part of Operation Inherent Resolve

The strikes were conducted as part of Operation Inherent Resolve, the operation to eliminate the ISIL terrorist group and the threat they pose to Iraq, Syria, and the wider international community. The destruction of ISIL targets in Syria and Iraq further limits the terrorist group's ability to project terror and conduct operations, officials said.

Coalition nations that have conducted strikes in Iraq include the United States, Australia, Belgium, Canada, Denmark, France, Jordan, the Netherlands and the United Kingdom. Coalition nations that have conducted strikes in Syria include the United States, Australia, Bahrain, Canada, France, Jordan, the Netherlands, Saudi Arabia, Turkey, the United Arab Emirates and the United Kingdom.

(Source: US Dept of Defense)

U.S. and coalition military forces continued to attack Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant terrorists in Syria and Iraq on Wednesday, Combined Joint Task Force Operation Inherent Resolve officials reported on Thursday.

Officials reported details of yesterday’s strikes, noting that assessments of results are based on initial reports.

Strikes in Syria

Fighter and remotely piloted aircraft conducted six strikes in Syria:

• Near Near Tanf, a strike struck an ISIL tactical unit and destroyed an ISIL vehicle.
• Near Manbij, five strikes struck five separate ISIL tactical units and destroyed two ISIL vehicles, four ISIL fighting positions and an ISIL command and control node.

Strikes in Iraq

Attack, bomber, fighter, and remotely piloted aircraft conducted 11 strikes in Iraq, coordinated with and in support of Iraq’s government:

• Near Baghdadi, a strike struck an ISIL tactical unit and destroyed an ISIL storage facility, an ISIL weapons cache and an ISIL mortar system.
• Near Albu Hayat, a strike destroyed an ISIL weapons cache and an ISIL fighting position.
• Near Beiji, a strike destroyed two ISIL vehicles.
• Near Hit, a strike destroyed an ISIL mortar system.
• Near Kisik, a strike destroyed an ISIL mortar system and an ISIL fighting position.
• Near Mosul, a strike struck an ISIL vehicle bomb-making facility.
• Near Ramadi, a strike destroyed two ISIL vehicle bombs and two ISIL fighting positions.
• Near Sinjar, two strikes destroyed an ISIL heavy machine gun and two ISIL fighting positions and suppressed an ISIL mortar position.
• Near Sultan Abdallah, a strike struck an ISIL tactical unit and destroyed five ISIL assembly areas, three ISIL supply caches, two ISIL tunnel entrances and an ISIL fighting position.
• Near Qayyarah, a strike struck an ISIL tactical unit.

Task force officials define a strike as one or more kinetic events that occur in roughly the same geographic location to produce a single, sometimes cumulative, effect. Therefore, officials explained, a single aircraft delivering a single weapon against a lone ISIL vehicle is one strike, but so is multiple aircraft delivering dozens of weapons against buildings, vehicles and weapon systems in a compound, for example, having the cumulative effect of making those targets harder or impossible for ISIL to use. Accordingly, officials said, they do not report the number or type of aircraft employed in a strike, the number of munitions dropped in each strike, or the number of individual munition impact points against a target. Ground-based artillery fired in counterfire or in fire support to maneuver roles is not classified as a strike.

Part of Operation Inherent Resolve

The strikes were conducted as part of Operation Inherent Resolve, the operation to eliminate the ISIL terrorist group and the threat they pose to Iraq, Syria, and the wider international community. The destruction of ISIL targets in Syria and Iraq further limits the terrorist group's ability to project terror and conduct operations, officials said.

Coalition nations that have conducted strikes in Iraq include the United States, Australia, Belgium, Canada, Denmark, France, Jordan, the Netherlands and the United Kingdom. Coalition nations that have conducted strikes in Syria include the United States, Australia, Bahrain, Canada, France, Jordan, the Netherlands, Saudi Arabia, Turkey, the United Arab Emirates and the United Kingdom.

(Source: US Dept of Defense)

U.S. and coalition military forces continued to attack Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant terrorists in Syria and Iraq on Tuesday, Combined Joint Task Force Operation Inherent Resolve officials reported on Wednesday.

Officials reported details of yesterday’s strikes, noting that assessments of results are based on initial reports.

Strikes in Syria

Fighter aircraft conducted five strikes in Syria:

• Near Raqqah, a strike struck an ISIL headquarters.
• Near Manbij, four strikes struck four separate ISIL tactical units and destroyed five ISIL fighting positions.

Strikes in Iraq

Fighter, remotely piloted aircraft and rocket artillery conducted seven strikes in Iraq, coordinated with and in support of Iraq’s government:

• Near Kisik, a strike struck an ISIL tactical unit and destroyed an ISIL vehicle and an ISIL fighting position.
• Near Mosul, two strikes struck an ISIL tactical unit and destroyed an ISIL vehicle and suppressed an ISIL mortar position.
• Near Qayyarah, a strike struck an ISIL tactical unit and destroyed an ISIL heavy machine gun, an ISIL mortar system, two ISIL vehicles and an ISIL assembly area.
• Near Ramadi, a strike struck an ISIL tactical unit and destroyed an ISIL vehicle borne improvised explosive device, five ISIL vehicles and four ISIL tactical vehicles.
• Near Rawah, a strike destroyed an ISIL fuel tanker.
• Near Tal Afar, a strike struck an ISIL headquarters.

Task force officials define a strike as one or more kinetic events that occur in roughly the same geographic location to produce a single, sometimes cumulative, effect. Therefore, officials explained, a single aircraft delivering a single weapon against a lone ISIL vehicle is one strike, but so is multiple aircraft delivering dozens of weapons against buildings, vehicles and weapon systems in a compound, for example, having the cumulative effect of making those targets harder or impossible for ISIL to use. Accordingly, officials said, they do not report the number or type of aircraft employed in a strike, the number of munitions dropped in each strike, or the number of individual munition impact points against a target. Ground-based artillery fired in counterfire or in fire support to maneuver roles is not classified as a strike.

Part of Operation Inherent Resolve

The strikes were conducted as part of Operation Inherent Resolve, the operation to eliminate the ISIL terrorist group and the threat they pose to Iraq, Syria, and the wider international community. The destruction of ISIL targets in Syria and Iraq further limits the terrorist group's ability to project terror and conduct operations, officials said.

Coalition nations that have conducted strikes in Iraq include the United States, Australia, Belgium, Canada, Denmark, France, Jordan, the Netherlands and the United Kingdom. Coalition nations that have conducted strikes in Syria include the United States, Australia, Bahrain, Canada, France, Jordan, the Netherlands, Saudi Arabia, Turkey, the United Arab Emirates and the United Kingdom.

(Source: US Dept of Defense)

U.S. and coalition military forces continued to attack Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant terrorists in Syria and Iraq on Monday, Combined Joint Task Force Operation Inherent Resolve officials reported on Tuesday.

Officials reported details of the latest strikes, noting that assessments of results are based on initial reports.

Strikes in Syria

• Attack, bomber, fighter, and remotely piloted aircraft conducted seven strikes near Manbij in Syria, striking six separate ISIL tactical units and destroying six ISIL fighting positions.

Strikes in Iraq

Attack, fighter, ground-attack and remotely piloted aircraft conducted seven strikes in Iraq, coordinated with and in support of Iraq’s government:

• Near Baghdadi, a strike destroyed an ISIL rocket cache.
• Near Mosul, three strikes struck an ISIL foreign fighter meeting facility and an ISIL training site.
• Near Qayyarah, two strikes struck three ISIL tactical units and destroyed two ISIL vehicle borne improvised devices, two ISIL mortar systems, an ISIL mortar position and three ISIL vehicles.
• Near Sinjar, a strike destroyed an ISIL heavy machine gun and an ISIL heavy machine gun position.

Task force officials define a strike as one or more kinetic events that occur in roughly the same geographic location to produce a single, sometimes cumulative, effect. Therefore, officials explained, a single aircraft delivering a single weapon against a lone ISIL vehicle is one strike, but so is multiple aircraft delivering dozens of weapons against buildings, vehicles and weapon systems in a compound, for example, having the cumulative effect of making those targets harder or impossible for ISIL to use. Accordingly, officials said, they do not report the number or type of aircraft employed in a strike, the number of munitions dropped in each strike, or the number of individual munition impact points against a target. Ground-based artillery fired in counterfire or in fire support to maneuver roles is not classified as a strike.

Part of Operation Inherent Resolve

The strikes were conducted as part of Operation Inherent Resolve, the operation to eliminate the ISIL terrorist group and the threat they pose to Iraq, Syria, and the wider international community. The destruction of ISIL targets in Syria and Iraq further limits the terrorist group's ability to project terror and conduct operations, officials said.

Coalition nations that have conducted strikes in Iraq include the United States, Australia, Belgium, Canada, Denmark, France, Jordan, the Netherlands and the United Kingdom. Coalition nations that have conducted strikes in Syria include the United States, Australia, Bahrain, Canada, France, Jordan, the Netherlands, Saudi Arabia, Turkey, the United Arab Emirates and the United Kingdom.

(Source: US Dept of Defense)