The Islamic State’s Anbar Division released a series of photos that purport to document the overrunning of Iraqi Army bases in the city of Haditha.
Nineteen photographs captioned with “Charging at a number of barracks of the Savafid army in the city of Haditha” were released yesterday on the jihadist group’s Twitter feed.
At least one military outpost appears to have been overrun in the attack. The exact location of the base was not disclosed.
The photographs show a convoy of Islamic State technicals, or pickup trucks with machine guns mounted in the beds, advancing through the desert, stopping, and taking up position to fire on the outpost. The Islamic State deployed at least one mortar team during the attack.
At one point, a squad of Islamic State fighters is photographed entering the base. The Iraqi combat outpost appears to have been manned by troops. The bodies of several soldiers are shown; one is displayed near a captured US-supplied Humvee.
The city of Haditha and the neighboring towns of Barwana and Haqlaniyah are among the few areas still under Iraqi government control. The Haditha Dam, which controls flood waters south of Haditha and generates power, is said to have been reinforced by several thousand Iraqi troops. The Islamic State is said to control areas in the Barwana district; given the group’s ability to attack Iraqi forces in Haditha, that seems likely.
The Islamic State and its allies in Anbar also reportedly control several neighborhoods in Ramadi, the provincial capital. A video released by a jihadist on Twitter earlier this week showed what appeared to be an abandoned Camp Ramadi (the video claimed to be taken in the 5 KM area, which is on the western outskirts of the city). The Al Ta’mim neighborhood, near the 5 KM area, is also said to be controlled or contested by the Islamic State.
Fallujah has been under the control of the Islamic State since January, while Karma and Abu Ghraib fell several months later. The Islamic State took control of Rawa, Anah, and Al Qaim, the border crossing to Syria, after it launched its offensive in mid-June. Last week, the Islamic State routed an Iraqi Army armored column, which included M1 tanks and M113 armored personnel carriers, in the town of Saqlaniyah.
Photographs from the attack in Haditha:
Ten Islamic State vehicles travel in the desert near Haditha:
An Islamic State mortar team opens fire:
Islamic State fighters prepare for their assault:
An Islamic State fighter opens fire from his technical:
An assault team advances on the Iraqi Army outpost. The Iraqi flag is flying as the jihadists assault:
Black smoke rises from the outpost:
An Islamic State fighter stands over the corpse of an Iraqi soldier. Behind him is a captured Humvee:
Islamic State fighters gather outside of what appears to be a small observation post:
An Iraqi soldier who appears to have been shot in the head is on the ground outside a military base. Concrete Jersey barriers, often placed outside military bases, are seen in the background:
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