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ISIS is targeting early signs of resistance in predominantly Sunni areas in northern Diyala and western Kirkuk, an area with strong tribal presence and historic presence of ISIS competitors like JRTN and Ansar al-Islam.
PREPARATION: ISIS was setting the conditions for uncontested rule of Raqqa since the summer of 2013, when it detonated VBIEDs against rebel headquarters, kidnapped rebel commanders, and detained civilian activists. In Mosul, ISIS undermined government institutions with large scale racketeering operations and carried out targeted assassinations against key civilian and military leaders. By the time ISIS took full military control of Raqqa in January 2014 and Mosul in June 2014, an organized opposition to ISIS did not exist.
ISIS continues to test the security measures of the Iraqi Security Forces in Southern Iraq.
The Islamic State of Iraq and al-Sham (ISIS) is intent on regaining momentum. The Dhuluiyah fight will be a bellwether event for the Iraqi Sunni tribes in Salah ad-Din and for ISIS as well.
The Haditha operation represents a turning point in the counter-ISIS campaign. ISIS is now facing two significant counter-offensives in western and northern Iraq.
The Islamic State of Iraq and al-Sham (ISIS) is orienting its effort towards Anbar province in western Iraq and Samarra.
The Iraqi Security Forces (ISF) are capitalizing on the momentum of the breaking of Amerli’s siege by launching an attack on Tikrit.
Between August 29-31 a combined force of the ISF, Iraqi Shi’a militias, and the Peshmerga, broke ISIS’s siege of Amerli in Salah ad-Din province.
The breaking of Amerli’s siege with U.S. air support averted the humanitarian catastrophe that would have likely been caused by ISIS massacring its Iraqi Turkmen Shi’a population.
Since May 2013, Iraqi Shi’a militias have carried out kinetic operations in Baghdad and Diyala provinces to either target Iraqi Sunni civilians or launch possible retaliatory attacks.