As the Islamic State of Iraq and the Sham continues its territorial offensive in Iraq, social media accounts belonging to ISIS fighters as well as those affiliated with the terrorist organization have posted pictures and videos documenting the unfolding campaign.
The video above, uploaded earlier today, titled “The moment the mujaheddin enter the city of Tikrit – the center of al Hawli Street 11-6-2014,” shows armed ISIS militants entering the city of Tikrit in white pickup trucks and firing celebratory rifle shots in the air. The militants are seen entering the northern section of the city at minute 1:30, apparently continuing their southward advance from Bayji. ISIS seized control of the northern city of Mosul yesterday, as well as the province of Ninewa and areas of Salahuddin and Kirkuk provinces. Since then, ISIS fighters have been advancing southward in a lightning offensive, taking over the Salahuddin provincial capital of Tikrit today.
This video, posted today by a ISIS fighter known as “Ibn al Azd,” is titled “The Islamic State’s loot in Mosul is more astonishing than imagination.” ISIS fighters are seen in the video seizing Iraqi army supplies in Mosul after their takeover of the city yesterday. The fighter recording the video surveys the supplies of “al Maliki’s soldiers,” which include refrigerators, chicken, and other food items. As he displays this “loot,” the fighter says that “all of this has become loot of the Islamic State of Iraq and the Sham.”
ISIS also posted the following pictures today to several jihadi forums as part of a series called “The Muslims’ Joy in the Victories of the Mujahideen” that shows ISIS militants giving out sweets on Iraqi streets and ISIS fighters parading through “liberated cities.” The pictures were disseminated by ISIS’ official “Media Office of Wilayat Raqqa.”
The caption reads: “Distributing sweets to the Muslim public rejoicing the mujahideen victories in Wilayat Nineveh and Wilayat Salahuddin.”
The caption reads: “Muslims come out to the streets to rejoice the mujahideen victories.”
The caption reads: “Mujahideen vehicles roam the city streets to rejoice the series of conquests.”
The caption reads: “The Muslims come out to the streets of Wilayat Raqqa to rejoice the victories of the mujahideen.”
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2 Comments
The reason that the US allowed Iraq to suffer at the hands of ISIS probably had something to do with Iraq refusing to allow the US troops to remain in Iraq longer than was agreed to in order to use Iraq as a staging ground to overthrow Assad.
The Iraqi government also complained to the US about not having the armor to stand up to a more heavily armed ISIS, which probably was distributed to ISIS indirectly via the US compound in Bengazi, Libya as part of their plan to overthrow Assad.
Never attribute to anything to conspiracy if you can attribute it to incompetence first. The Iraqi regime really failed to recognize what was going on in Syria and defend for it. Israel, Turkey and Jordan certainly have braced themselves for the Syrian civil war. When Hezbollah entered the Syrian conflict they tipped the balance of power in favor of Assad. ISIS really didn’t have anywhere else to go, except Iraq, which was hardly defended. They will mostly likely be the like the Ebola virus…virulent, lethal, and a flash in the pan. No doubt if Iraq digs down deep, especially if Iran helps, they have the capacity to expel ISIS. Now, will Iran dare seek a bridge to Syria through Iraq? Will Obama/The West allow this?
Thank George W. Bush for all this trouble. ISIS certainly wold not have invaded Saddam’s Iraq.