Monday, February 6, 2017

Mosul Campaign Day 112, Feb 5, 2017

 
There was news from within and without Mosul. Shafaaq News reported on the food and fuel shortages in west Mosul. Officials are worried of a humanitarian crisis.

The Iraqi forces (ISF) were shelling west Mosul and the Islamic State fired mortars onto two neighborhoods in the east. There were no casualties reported, but countless people have been killed and wounded as a result of the constant artillery, mortar and rocket fire.


In the east the Golden Division was dismantling IEDs and arresting Islamic State members. There is a large fear of sleeper cells causing violence in liberated areas, as well as IS fighters disappearing into the population to escape punishment.

Finally, Federal Police reinforcements took up positions south of Mosul in preparation for the up coming operation. This is more evidence that the ISF will launch a two pronged attack on west Mosul coming from the south and east to stretch out the defenders. The original assault on the city consisted of five fronts, and completely fell apart due to poor coordination. Hopefully this will go much better.

To the west in the Tal Afar district the Hashd are still clearing the large rural areas found there. An Iranian Revolutionary Guards’ adviser was killed in the process. Before the Mosul operation began Badr leader Hadi Ameri said no foreign forces would take part. He meant the U.S. led Coalition, which he has consistently criticized for its involvement in the war. He obviously did not mean his Iranian enablers.

The Education Ministry is trying to re-open 190 schools in east Mosul to help with the rebuilding process. It is working with the Education Directorate in Ninewa to provide books, paper and other supplies. Many families did not send their children to IS led schools for the last two years and have thus missed out on a huge part of their education. Some schools have already re-launched, which is an important part of returning life to the city.

The Nujafi’s who hail from Mosul are attempting to rebuild their base there. Ex-Governor Atheel Nujafi helped the 16th Division to retake several towns and neighborhoods in east Mosul, and was given the job of holding one afterward. That raised the ire of other politicians who had an arrest warrant issued for him and had his Ninewa Guards forced out of the city along with himself. Buratha News claimed that his brother Vice President Osama Nujafi has made a deal with former Defense Minister Khalid Obeidi to take over the Guard and is demanding that it return to the city, although this has not been made official. The Vice President also met with members of his Mutahidun list in Ninewa to discuss the future of Mosul. They called for it to be rebuilt, and wanted to make sure that IS does not return. The Nujafis are hoping that the liberation of the city will help restore their political fortunes. So far their participation has been a mixed bag, but there is still so much to be done that they will have plenty of chances to benefit.  

SOURCES

Al Aalem, “Urgent: the killing of an Iranian Revolutionary Guard adviser Khairallah in the fighting in Tal Afar,” 2/5/17

Bas News, “Four IS Women Arrested in East Mosul,” 2/5/17

Buratha News, “Obeidi to lead the Ninewa Guard instead of Atheel Nujafi,” 2/5/17

Al Forat, “Federal police are stationed in the south in preparation to enter the right bank of Mosul,” 2/5/17

Al Mada, “Osama Najafi meets Mutahidun coalition in Mosul in the presence of his brother,” 2/6/17

Al Masalah, “Efforts to open schools in left bank of Mosul,” 2/5/17

Shafaaq News, “East Mosul residents eat expired food itself to fill their hunger,” 2/5/17
- “Shelling East Mosul and Daesh respond,” 2/5/17

Xinhua, “Iraq sends reinforcements ahead of new push against IS in Mosul,” 2/5/17


2 comments:

Anonymous said...

Can you try to find more info on assyrian autonomy and future?

Joel Wing said...

There is some talk of forming a Christian autonomous region in the Ninewa plains. This is supported by the Nujafi's and the Kurds, but don't think it has any support within Baghdad and the Ninewa council has not talked about it either. The Nujafis and Kurds are pushing the issue because it would weaken Baghdad's control over the province and the Kurds have tried to co-opt minority groups in Ninewa to push their own annexation policy in the disputed territories. The different Christian groups don't have enough pull to make their own region on their own.

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