WAS THE BATTLE OF RAMADI A SUCCESS OR ?

by Dani February 3, 2016 · Iraq / Islamic State - ISIS / Political process

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baghwall Just five weeks ago, by the end of 12/2015, Iraqi forces announced proudly they recaptured, “liberated” in their language, the town of Ramadi. The battle of Ramadi was supposed first to remove the threat to Baghdad and, secondly, to pave the way to the much larger push to recapture Mosul in Northern Iraq. Ramadi was never fully released from the Islamic State that managed to dig in in the North-Western neighborhoods of the town. Furthermore. Iraqi troops came under constant attacks, on daily base, of I,S,I,S suicide bombers, dozen at a time, driving humvees, loaded with about one tonne of explosive each, causing dreadful casualties to the Iraqi army, spreading fear and breaking the will of the Iraqi soldiers to fight .

Instead of pushing toward Ramadi Iraqi security forces have begun building a concrete wall surrounding the capital Baghdad in a bid to prevent attacks by Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS) militants, a military statement said on Wednesday 02/03/2016, actually confirming that the Iraqi regime is thinking, planning and acting totally defensively and defeatist. The planned security barrier will surround the city from all sides. The preparatory work on the wall already started on Monday 02/01/2016.

I.S.I.S claimed several attacks in recent months in the Iraqi capital Baghdad. The last one, on 01/11/2016, targeted a shopping mall and killed at least 18 people, according to police sources.

“The security barrier around Baghdad will prevent terrorists from infiltrating the capital or smuggling explosives and car bombs to target innocent civilians,” officials said.

Construction will start in the area of al-Subaihat, around 30 km (20 miles) to the west of Baghdad, so as to isolate it from Falluja, a long-time bastion of Sunni Muslim jihadists now under control of Islamic State.

Many districts in the Iraqi capital are now surrounded by concrete fences dating back to the strife that pitted Sunnis and Shi’ites about a decade ago.