Iraq: Militants move swiftly towards Baghdad
- 10 years ago
The militant group, Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant, is rapidly advancing towards Baghdad having taken the town of Udhaim just 90 kilometres away.
Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki’s troops have left their posts in many areas of the country. The abandoned buildings and weapons have been taken by fighters who aim to create strict Sunni Caliphate on both sides of the Iraq-Syria border.
Meanwhile, Kurdish security forces have taken bases vacated by the army in Kirkuk.
Since Tuesday, the insurgents have seized the country’s second biggest city, Mosul and the home town of former dictator Saddam Hussein, Tikrit. There dozens of members of a police special forces batallion are being held by rebels.
State television has been showing footage of Iraq’s air force bombing Mosul. Over half a million residents have fled to the nearby autonomous region of Kurdistan.
The town of Baiji, site of the main domestic oil refinery for Iraq has been overrun by the rebels, however the country’s oil minister has said the refinery itself is still in government hands.
In Baghdad and the city of Basra hundreds of volunteers have arrived at Iraqi army recruitment centres to join the fight against the militants who’ve wreaked havoc across the country this week.
Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki’s troops have left their posts in many areas of the country. The abandoned buildings and weapons have been taken by fighters who aim to create strict Sunni Caliphate on both sides of the Iraq-Syria border.
Meanwhile, Kurdish security forces have taken bases vacated by the army in Kirkuk.
Since Tuesday, the insurgents have seized the country’s second biggest city, Mosul and the home town of former dictator Saddam Hussein, Tikrit. There dozens of members of a police special forces batallion are being held by rebels.
State television has been showing footage of Iraq’s air force bombing Mosul. Over half a million residents have fled to the nearby autonomous region of Kurdistan.
The town of Baiji, site of the main domestic oil refinery for Iraq has been overrun by the rebels, however the country’s oil minister has said the refinery itself is still in government hands.
In Baghdad and the city of Basra hundreds of volunteers have arrived at Iraqi army recruitment centres to join the fight against the militants who’ve wreaked havoc across the country this week.