Tuesday, July 31, 2007
Al Qaeda Members Gathering In Himrin Mountains To Avoid Operation “Arrowhead Ripper”
Security, Insurgency
(Al Mada Newspaper) - 30 JUL - On Saturday, an Iraqi Army source reported that Al Qaeda members, and their groups, have escaped into the Himrin Mountains. (The Al Qaeda members began hiding in these mountains more) especially after the ‘second stage’ of Operation Arrowhead Ripper began in Baquba’s area.
The “anonymous source, in a press statement”, said “Groups from the Al Qaeda organization have begun to gather in the Himrin Mountains, which are located on the ‘northeast border of Diyala Province’ with some areas of the Kurdistan region… And, these mountains also pass through parts of the Provinces of Salah Ad Din, Kirkuk (Tamim), and Mosul (Ninawa).”
The source continued, “This ‘gathering operation’ coincided with Operation Arrowhead Ripper finishing its first month. The result of this operation is that the Al Qaeda members have fled Arrowhead Ripper’s area of operations instead of facing the Security Forces… And, our information confirmed that 200-350 Al Qaeda members have reached various areas of Kirkuk and Salah Ad Din Provinces. They (these Al Qaeda) members are now gathering in order to conduct attacks in these areas.”
The source also mentioned, “The Himrin Mountains are located along the (Iranian border) and are adjacent to ‘Iranian mountains’. This area is very difficult terrain, and it has many caves. It is also near an unoccupied desert area which runs from Kirkuk to Diyala.” He added, “These areas have many different population groups; Arabs, Kurds, and Turkmen living in the area. And, it is an open area which is easily used for smuggling …And, it is an area where people can easily and secretly cross into or out of Iraq. Most of the smuggling operations which occurred during the “old regime (Saddam)” used this area and, currently, this is still occurring.”
The source added, “Intelligence information indicates that most of these ‘armed groups’ (gathering in this area) belong to Al Qaeda. They are attempting to gather there, because it is a safe area for them… especially areas of the Himrin Mountains and the desert area between the town of Muqdadiya and the Mansuriyat Al Jabil and Dali Abbas area (two adjacent areas)… Muqdadiya is located 45 km northeast of Baquba; and, the Mansuriyat Al Jabil and the Dali Abbas area, both of which are located 50 km northeast of Baquba. [Therefore, there may be a large concentration of AQIQ in this 5 km long stretch of Diyala Province.] There are also gatherings occurring in semi-mountainous areas, such as: the Al Athim area, 100 km north of Baghdad.”
According to this source Operation Arrowhead Ripper “was closing in on the AQIQ members so, they fled to these open areas in which they can move freely about without being observed by Iraqi Security Forces.”
The “anonymous source, in a press statement”, said “Groups from the Al Qaeda organization have begun to gather in the Himrin Mountains, which are located on the ‘northeast border of Diyala Province’ with some areas of the Kurdistan region… And, these mountains also pass through parts of the Provinces of Salah Ad Din, Kirkuk (Tamim), and Mosul (Ninawa).”
The source continued, “This ‘gathering operation’ coincided with Operation Arrowhead Ripper finishing its first month. The result of this operation is that the Al Qaeda members have fled Arrowhead Ripper’s area of operations instead of facing the Security Forces… And, our information confirmed that 200-350 Al Qaeda members have reached various areas of Kirkuk and Salah Ad Din Provinces. They (these Al Qaeda) members are now gathering in order to conduct attacks in these areas.”
The source also mentioned, “The Himrin Mountains are located along the (Iranian border) and are adjacent to ‘Iranian mountains’. This area is very difficult terrain, and it has many caves. It is also near an unoccupied desert area which runs from Kirkuk to Diyala.” He added, “These areas have many different population groups; Arabs, Kurds, and Turkmen living in the area. And, it is an open area which is easily used for smuggling …And, it is an area where people can easily and secretly cross into or out of Iraq. Most of the smuggling operations which occurred during the “old regime (Saddam)” used this area and, currently, this is still occurring.”
The source added, “Intelligence information indicates that most of these ‘armed groups’ (gathering in this area) belong to Al Qaeda. They are attempting to gather there, because it is a safe area for them… especially areas of the Himrin Mountains and the desert area between the town of Muqdadiya and the Mansuriyat Al Jabil and Dali Abbas area (two adjacent areas)… Muqdadiya is located 45 km northeast of Baquba; and, the Mansuriyat Al Jabil and the Dali Abbas area, both of which are located 50 km northeast of Baquba. [Therefore, there may be a large concentration of AQIQ in this 5 km long stretch of Diyala Province.] There are also gatherings occurring in semi-mountainous areas, such as: the Al Athim area, 100 km north of Baghdad.”
According to this source Operation Arrowhead Ripper “was closing in on the AQIQ members so, they fled to these open areas in which they can move freely about without being observed by Iraqi Security Forces.”
Labels: Al Qaeda in Iraq, Arrowhead Ripper, Diyala, Himrin Mountains, Muqdadiya
Tuesday, June 19, 2007
Truck bomb kills 75 as new offensive launched
Security
(RFE/RL) - A massive truck bomb explosion has killed some 75 people and wounded at least 130 in central Baghdad. The explosion occurred near the Shi'ite Al-Khalani Mosque in the city center. The attack in Baghdad's busy commercial district of Sinak came just hours after thousands of U.S. and Iraqi troops launched a new offensive north of Baghdad aimed at clearing the region of Sunni insurgents and Al-Qaeda.
The operation is called Arrowhead Ripper and involves some 10,000 U.S. and Iraqi soldiers in Diyala Governorate. The operation began in earnest overnight, with air and ground assaults in and around the provincial capital of Ba'qubah, 60 kilometers north of Baghdad. By daybreak, the U.S. military said 22 militants had been killed. The Diyala operation opens a new front and comes in response to changing insurgent tactics.
The U.S.-led troop surge in Baghdad, and Al-Anbar Governorate to the west, has meant insurgents, who are being pushed out of those areas, are refocusing their activities to other parts of the country. In a report issued on June 13, the Pentagon said the rise in attacks in Diyala and Ninawa governorates were threatening to offset coalition gains in Iraq’s center. In recent months, Diyala Governorate has emerged as a center of the Sunni Arab insurgency, with Al-Qaeda In Mesopotamia and other militant groups turning it into a base of operations.
Shi’ite militias have also been active in the region. Diyala Governorate, a prime agricultural region of date and orange groves has a mixed Sunni and Shi’a population. That makes it explosive as extremists seek to fan sectarian tensions. Thousands of people have already been forced from their homes in fighting between militant groups.
While Diyala Governorate appears to be a current epicenter of insurgent-led violence in Iraq, the Pentagon report also notes a rise in militant attacks in the southern city of Al-Basrah as well as Mosul and Tal Afar in the north, all of which were once touted as islands of relative stability. Operation Arrowhead Ripper comes just days after the U.S. military said it had completed its buildup of forces in Iraq to 160,000 troops.
The operation is called Arrowhead Ripper and involves some 10,000 U.S. and Iraqi soldiers in Diyala Governorate. The operation began in earnest overnight, with air and ground assaults in and around the provincial capital of Ba'qubah, 60 kilometers north of Baghdad. By daybreak, the U.S. military said 22 militants had been killed. The Diyala operation opens a new front and comes in response to changing insurgent tactics.
The U.S.-led troop surge in Baghdad, and Al-Anbar Governorate to the west, has meant insurgents, who are being pushed out of those areas, are refocusing their activities to other parts of the country. In a report issued on June 13, the Pentagon said the rise in attacks in Diyala and Ninawa governorates were threatening to offset coalition gains in Iraq’s center. In recent months, Diyala Governorate has emerged as a center of the Sunni Arab insurgency, with Al-Qaeda In Mesopotamia and other militant groups turning it into a base of operations.
Shi’ite militias have also been active in the region. Diyala Governorate, a prime agricultural region of date and orange groves has a mixed Sunni and Shi’a population. That makes it explosive as extremists seek to fan sectarian tensions. Thousands of people have already been forced from their homes in fighting between militant groups.
While Diyala Governorate appears to be a current epicenter of insurgent-led violence in Iraq, the Pentagon report also notes a rise in militant attacks in the southern city of Al-Basrah as well as Mosul and Tal Afar in the north, all of which were once touted as islands of relative stability. Operation Arrowhead Ripper comes just days after the U.S. military said it had completed its buildup of forces in Iraq to 160,000 troops.
Labels: Al Qaeda in Iraq, Al-Khalani Mosque, Arrowhead Ripper, Baqouba, Diyala, Shia militias, Sinak, truck bomb
