The Islamic State Thread

ISIL captures the last remaining border crossing between Syria and Iraq

Key Syria-Iraq border crossing falls to ISIL

23 May 2015 04:51 GMT

The Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) group have reinforced their self-declared "caliphate" with the capture of the al-Tanaf to al-Walid crossing on the Damascus-Baghdad highway.

Al-Walid crossing is the last border crossing with Iraq that was held by the Damascus government. Except for a short section of frontier in the north under Kurdish control, all the rest are now held by ISIL.

ISIL's advance, which was preceded by the capture of Anbar's capital Ramadi and the ancient Syrian city of Palmyra in the past week, comes despite eight months of US-led air strikes aimed at pushing them back.

It has sparked an exodus of tens of thousands of civilians in both countries and raised fears that the ISIL will repeat at Palmyra the destruction they have already wreaked at ancient sites in Iraq.

As ISIL fighters fanned out across Palmyra on Thursday, they went door to door executing suspected loyalists of the Damascus government, the UK-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said.

Activists said ISIL had searched through Palmyra for government troops and fighters, using lists of names and informers to track them down and shooting some in the head on the spot, estimating at least 150 have been killed in the past two days.

ISIL takes half of Syria

ISIL now controls "more than 95,000 square km in Syria, which is 50 percent of the country's territory," the Syrian Observatory said.

Fabrice Balanche, a French expert on Syria, said "ISIL now dominates central Syria, a crossroads of primary importance" that could allow it to advance towards the capital and third city Homs.

Matthew Henman, head of IHS Jane's Terrorism and Insurgency Centre, said the ISIL advance boosted its claim to be the most effective of the armed groups fighting to overthrow President Bashar al-Assad.

"It reinforces ISIL's position as the single opposition group that controls the most territory in Syria," he said.

The rivals of ISIL, al-Qaeda's Syrian branch al-Nusra Front, have also been on the offensive as part of a rebel alliance that has stormed through nearly all of the northwestern province of Idlib.

The rebels on Friday overran a hospital in the town of Jisr al-Shughur where at least 150 regime forces and dozens of civilians were trapped for nearly a month, the Syrian Observatory said.

President Barack Obama played down the ISIL advance as a tactical "setback" and denied the US-led coalition was "losing" to the group.

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http://www.aljazeera.com/news/2015/05/key-syria-iraq-border-crossing-falls-isil-150522130256701.html
 
I have been asking myself...if they capture Styria and rule it...how are they gonna trade and are they going to continue killing innocent people.
 
BlackMamba said:
I have been asking myself...if they capture Styria and rule it...how are they gonna trade and are they going to continue killing innocent people.
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A big part of the (sunni)islamic world is happily trading with ISIS already or where do you think the oil went they sell or anything else. The islamic money transfer system to find in every mosque (brought to you by the kings of Saudi) is the convenient addon making transfers virtually untraceable.
And simply put: Any arab trader trades just everything if there is good profit to make, anything else would be regarded as unnatural.

Killing innocents? They kill by their law and will continue to do so. Victims number will fall over time for lack of mass. But they will continue with war forever as that is what they say is the essence of Islam.
 
2012 Defense Intelligence Agency document: West will facilitate rise of Islamic State

dia-2012-syria-islamic-state1.jpg


2012 Defense Intelligence Agency document: West will facilitate rise of Islamic State “in order to isolate the Syrian regime”

May 19, 2015 by Brad Hoff

On Monday, May 18, the conservative government watchdog group Judicial Watch published a selection of formerly classified documents obtained from the U.S. Department of Defense and State Department through a federal lawsuit.

While initial mainstream media reporting is focused on the White House’s handling of the Benghazi consulate attack, a much “bigger picture” admission and confirmation is contained in one of the Defense Intelligence Agency documents circulated in 2012: that an ‘Islamic State’ is desired in Eastern Syria to effect the West’s policies in the region.

Astoundingly, the newly declassified report states that for “THE WEST, GULF COUNTRIES, AND TURKEY [WHO] SUPPORT THE [SYRIAN] OPPOSITION… THERE IS THE POSSIBILITY OF ESTABLISHING A DECLARED OR UNDECLARED SALAFIST PRINCIPALITY IN EASTERN SYRIA (HASAKA AND DER ZOR), AND THIS IS EXACTLY WHAT THE SUPPORTING POWERS TO THE OPPOSITION WANT, IN ORDER TO ISOLATE THE SYRIAN REGIME…”.

The DIA report, formerly classified “SECRET//NOFORN” and dated August 12, 2012, was circulated widely among various government agencies, including CENTCOM, the CIA, FBI, DHS, NGA, State Dept., and many others.

The document shows that as early as 2012, U.S. intelligence predicted the rise of the Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant (ISIL or ISIS), but instead of clearly delineating the group as an enemy, the report envisions the terror group as a U.S. strategic asset.

While a number of analysts and journalists have documented long ago the role of western intelligence agencies in the formation and training of the armed opposition in Syria, this is the highest level internal U.S. intelligence confirmation of the theory that western governments fundamentally see ISIS as their own tool for regime change in Syria. The document matter-of-factly states just that scenario.

Forensic evidence, video evidence, as well as recent admissions of high-level officials involved (see former Ambassador to Syria Robert Ford’s admissions here and here), have since proven the State Department and CIA’s material support of ISIS terrorists on the Syrian battlefield going back to at least 2012 and 2013 (for a clear example of “forensic evidence”: see UK-based Conflict Armament Research’s report which traced the origins of Croatian anti-tank rockets recovered from ISIS fighters back to a Saudi/CIA joint program via identifiable serial numbers).

The newly released DIA report makes the following summary points concerning “ISI” (in 2012 “Islamic State in Iraq,”) and the soon to emerge ISIS:

  • Al-Qaeda drives the opposition in Syria
  • The West identifies with the opposition
  • The establishment of a nascent Islamic State became a reality only with the rise of the Syrian insurgency (there is no mention of U.S. troop withdrawal from Iraq as a catalyst for Islamic State’s rise, which is the contention of innumerable politicians and pundits; see section 4.D. below)
  • The establishment of a “Salafist Principality” in Eastern Syria is “exactly” what the external powers supporting the opposition want (identified as “the West, Gulf Countries, and Turkey”) in order to weaken the Assad government
  • “Safe havens” are suggested in areas conquered by Islamic insurgents along the lines of the Libyan model (which translates to so-called no-fly zones as a first act of ‘humanitarian war'; see 7.B.)
  • Iraq is identified with “Shia expansion” (8.C)
  • A Sunni “Islamic State” could be devastating to “unifying Iraq” and could lead to “the renewing facilitation of terrorist elements from all over the Arab world entering into Iraqi Arena.” (see last non-redacted line in full PDF view.)

_____________________________________________​

The following is excerpted from the seven page DIA declassified report​

R 050839Z AUG 12

…

THE GENERAL SITUATION:

A. INTERNALLY, EVENTS ARE TAKING A CLEAR SECTARIAN DIRECTION.

B. THE SALAFIST [sic], THE MUSLIM BROTHERHOOD, AND AQI ARE THE MAJOR FORCES DRIVING THE INSURGENCY IN SYRIA.

C. THE WEST, GULF COUNTRIES, AND TURKEY SUPPORT THE OPPOSITION; WHILE RUSSIA, CHINA AND IRAN SUPPORT THE REGIME.

…

3. (C) Al QAEDA – IRAQ (AQI):… B. AQI SUPPORTED THE SYRIAN OPPOSITION FROM THE BEGINNING, BOTH IDEOLOGICALLY AND THROUGH THE MEDIA…

…

4.D. THERE WAS A REGRESSION OF AQI IN THE WESTERN PROVINCES OF IRAQ DURING THE YEARS OF 2009 AND 2010; HOWEVER, AFTER THE RISE OF THE INSURGENCY IN SYRIA, THE RELIGIOUS AND TRIBAL POWERS IN THE REGIONS BEGAN TO SYMPATHIZE WITH THE SECTARIAN UPRISING. THIS (SYMPATHY) APPEARED IN FRIDAY PRAYER SERMONS, WHICH CALLED FOR VOLUNTEERS TO SUPPORT THE SUNNI’S [sic] IN SYRIA.

…

7. (C) THE FUTURE ASSUMPTIONS OF THE CRISIS:

A. THE REGIME WILL SURVIVE AND HAVE CONTROL OVER SYRIAN TERRITORY.

B. DEVELOPMENT OF THE CURRENT EVENTS INTO PROXY WAR: …OPPOSITION FORCES ARE TRYING TO CONTROL THE EASTERN AREAS (HASAKA AND DER ZOR), ADJACENT TO THE WESTERN IRAQI PROVINCES (MOSUL AND ANBAR), IN ADDITION TO NEIGHBORING TURKISH BORDERS. WESTERN COUNTRIES, THE GULF STATES AND TURKEY ARE SUPPORTING THESE EFFORTS. THIS HYPOTHESIS IS MOST LIKELY IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE DATA FROM RECENT EVENTS, WHICH WILL HELP PREPARE SAFE HAVENS UNDER INTERNATIONAL SHELTERING, SIMILAR TO WHAT TRANSPIRED IN LIBYA WHEN BENGHAZI WAS CHOSEN AS THE COMMAND CENTER OF THE TEMPORARY GOVERNMENT.

…

8.C. IF THE SITUATION UNRAVELS THERE IS THE POSSIBILITY OF ESTABLISHING A DECLARED OR UNDECLARED SALAFIST PRINCIPALITY IN EASTERN SYRIA (HASAKA AND DER ZOR), AND THIS IS EXACTLY WHAT THE SUPPORTING POWERS TO THE OPPOSITION WANT, IN ORDER TO ISOLATE THE SYRIAN REGIME, WHICH IS CONSIDERED THE STRATEGIC DEPTH OF THE SHIA EXPANSION (IRAQ AND IRAN)

8.D.1. …ISI COULD ALSO DECLARE AN ISLAMIC STATE THROUGH ITS UNION WITH OTHER TERRORIST ORGANIZATIONS IN IRAQ AND SYRIA, WHICH WILL CREATE GRAVE DANGER IN REGARDS TO UNIFYING IRAQ AND THE PROTECTION OF ITS TERRITORY.

http://levantreport.com/2015/05/19/2012-defense-intelligence-agency-document-west-will-facilitate-rise-of-islamic-state-in-order-to-isolate-the-syrian-regime/#comments
 
Rubberpig's post makes sense. I often wondered how is it that so quickly and efficiently ISIS was able to spread as they did. What piqued my curiosity was looking at the weaponry of ISIS in videos, its shiny new weapons. They seem to well organized and setup to be a rag-tag bunch of idiots.
 
Peon said:
Rubberpig's post makes sense. I often wondered how is it that so quickly and efficiently ISIS was able to spread as they did. What piqued my curiosity was looking at the weaponry of ISIS in videos, its shiny new weapons. They seem to well organized and setup to be a rag-tag bunch of idiots.
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Funny how with each passing day it's becoming more and more obvious that the biggest sponsor of terrorism in the world is actually the USA and its proxies.

Edit: Y'know, ever since they declared War on Terror and all.
 
Isis suicide attack kills 38 Iraqi policemen

Islamic State (Isis) militants drove a tank rigged with explosives into a base south of the Iraqi city of Samarra on Monday, killing 38 policemen, military and police - sources said.
A further 46 people were wounded in the attack on the Muthanna bases in an area from which security forces and Shi’ite paramilitaries have been fighting to drive out the insurgents.

Security forces seized the complex from the militants several days ago and were using it as a foothold in an offensive aimed at cutting Islamic State supply lines from the Samarra area to the western province of Anbar.

Anbar’s capital, Ramadi, was overrun by the insurgents two weeks ago in the most significant setback for Iraqi forces since a US-led coalition began bombing the militants last summer.

Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi vowed to launch a quick counter-offensive to retake the city but Shi’ite paramilitary groups have taken charge of the offensive and say remaining militant strongholds in Salahuddin province must be cleared first.
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http://ewn.co.za/2015/06/01/Isis-suicide-attack-kills-38-Iraqi-policemen
 
Peon said:
Rubberpig's post makes sense. I often wondered how is it that so quickly and efficiently ISIS was able to spread as they did. What piqued my curiosity was looking at the weaponry of ISIS in videos, its shiny new weapons. They seem to well organized and setup to be a rag-tag bunch of idiots.
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Mostly because of cases like this:
http://www.cnbc.com/id/102722232
Iraq's security forces lost around 2,300 Humvees to ISIS when they retreated from Mosul last year, according to the country's prime minister

The United States has supplied Iraq with hundreds of millions of dollars in military hardware, including Humvees, and Defense Secretary Ash Carter recently claimed the country's forces "just showed no will to fight" against ISIS.
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Their opponents have on numerous occasions just deserted the army enmasse, they flee the cities and military bases they are supposed to defend, and they don't bother destroying most of the weapons.

They have also intercepted weapons shipments before, and I'm sure they have a decent amount of funding from their friends and their oil revenue as well.
 
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Obama orders more troops to Iraq to guide fightback against Islamic State

President Barack Obama on Wednesday ordered the deployment of 450 more U.S. troops to Iraq's Sunni heartland to advise and assist fragile Iraqi forces being built up to try to retake territory lost to Islamic State.

The plan to expand the 3,100-strong U.S. contingent in Iraq and open a new operations center closer to the fighting in Anbar province marks an adjustment in strategy for Obama, who has faced mounting pressure to do more to blunt the momentum of the insurgents.

But with Obama sticking to his refusal to send troops into combat or to the front lines, the White House announcement failed to silence critics who say the limited U.S. military role in the conflict is not enough to turn the tide of battle.

U.S. officials hope that a strengthened American presence on the ground in Anbar will help the Iraqi military devise and carry out a counter-attack to retake the provincial capital Ramadi, which insurgents seized last month in an onslaught that further exposed the shortcomings of the Iraqi army.

The U.S. advisers, who will be injected into the heart of one of the most hotly contested areas of the Islamic State campaign, will offer tactical advice to Iraqi officers on how to conduct their operations, the Pentagon said.

A complex challenge for the U.S. troops, who will establish a training hub at the Taqaddum military base only about 15 miles (25 km) from Ramadi, will be their outreach to Sunni tribal fighters, many of whom do not trust the Shi'ite-led government in Baghdad.

U.S. officials want to integrate them into the Iraqi army and reduce its reliance on Iran-backed Shi'ite militias who have also joined the fight against Islamic State.

Obama decided on the new troop deployment in response to a request from Iraqi Prime Minister Haidar al-Abadi, the White House said. The two leaders met while attending the G7 summit in Germany earlier this week.

"To improve the capabilities and effectiveness of partners on the ground, the president authorized the deployment of up to 450 additional U.S. military personnel to train, advise and assist Iraqi Security Forces," the White House said in a statement.

Obama also ordered "the expedited delivery of essential equipment and materiel" to Iraqi forces, including Kurdish peshmerga troops and Sunni fighters operating under Iraqi command, the White House said.

It made the announcement two days after Obama said the United States did not yet have a complete strategy for training Iraqi security forces to regain land lost to Islamic State fighters, who have seized a third of Iraq over the past year in a campaign marked by mass killings and beheadings.

The fall of Ramadi last month drew harsh U.S. criticism of the Iraqi military's retreat from the city. Defense Secretary Ash Carter said that Iraqi forces showed “no will to fight”.

U.S. forces have already conducted training at the al-Asad military base in western Anbar, and the new site will focus more on advising Iraqi forces on operations in what one U.S. official described as an effort to "buck up the ranks".The Pentagon said the first of the new troops will arrive at Taqaddum, in eastern Anbar, within a few days from forces already in the country. The base will also be used to help guide Iraqi efforts to reclaim Fallujah, a nearby city the militants have held for more than a year, U.S. officials said.

Still, Obama's new plan stops short of some of the more assertive steps demanded by his conservative critics at home, such as putting U.S. spotters in forward positions to call in air strikes or embedding American advisers with Iraqi forces in combat.

U.S. House of Representatives Speaker John Boehner said Obama's plan to send additional U.S. military personnel to train Iraqi forces was a "step in the right direction," but not a sufficient strategy to defeat Islamic State.

"It's clear that our training mission alone has not been enough," the Republican lawmaker said.

John McCain, Republican chairman of the Senate Armed Services Committee, said: “I remain deeply concerned that this new deployment is disconnected from any coherent strategy to defeat ISIL."

With the latest adjustments, Obama is deviating only slightly from his policy of relying on a bombing campaign and local forces without committing large-scale U.S. troops. His options are hemmed in by a deep aversion to seeing America drawn back into Iraq after pulling out U.S. forces in 2011.

Ben Rhodes, Obama's deputy national security adviser, said the president recognized the "inherent risk" of attack that the new U.S. contingent could face in volatile Anbar and insisted that security precautions were being taken.

U.S. officials took pains to insist that Wednesday's announcement did not amount to an overhaul of Obama's anti-Islamic State strategy, but they left open the possibility of further unspecified steps.

"The president hasn't ruled out any additional steps," Rhodes told reporters on a conference call. "He's always open to considering refinements."
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(Additional reporting by David Alexander, Jeff Mason, Warren Strobel, David Lawder and Patricia Zengerle in Washington, Phil Stewart in Jerusalem; Editing by Alan Crosby and Grant McCool)
http://www.reuters.com/article/2015/06/10/us-mideast-crisis-iraq-usa-idUSKBN0OP1YD20150610
 
Some good news.

13 July 2015 at 7:22pm
Two Isis leaders killed in Syrian air strike, say reports
Two senior Islamic State leaders were killed in an air strike in northeastern Syria today, according to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights.

The UK-based group, which gathers information from an network on the ground in Syria, identified the leaders as Iraqi Abu Osama al-Iraqi, and Syrian Amer al-Rafdan.

Rami Abdulrahman, who runs the Observatory, said it was not clear whether the air strike in Hasaka province was carried out by the Syrian army or the US-led coalition.
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http://www.itv.com/news/update/2015-07-13/two-isis-leaders-killed-in-syrian-air-strike-say-reports/
 
Peon said:
Rubberpig's post makes sense. I often wondered how is it that so quickly and efficiently ISIS was able to spread as they did. What piqued my curiosity was looking at the weaponry of ISIS in videos, its shiny new weapons. They seem to well organized and setup to be a rag-tag bunch of idiots.
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This article lists a some of what they have, everything from humvees to tanks to aircraft to surface to air missiles to grad rocket launchers and a scud.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Military_of_ISIL
 
Nanfeishen said:
2 :wtf: thats not even worth mentioning, we can start calling it good news when we see 200 or 2000 or 20000, but not for 2 measly dudes who have already been replaced by now.
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The more leaders they hit the better, if they take all the leaders out the rest of the rabble will be easier to eradicate.
 
Dave123 said:
The more leaders they hit the better, if they take all the leaders out the rest of the rabble will be easier to eradicate.
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They should be taking out the hate preachers...they are the ones converting people.
 
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