Photo report from the battle in Sajariyah
The Islamic State has released photos from recent fighting in the district of Sajariyah near Ramadi. The Islamic State has been battling the Iraqi military and their Sunni tribal allies for control of Ramadi since their assault began back in January. It is thought that the group already controls around 60% of the city.
The photos were disseminated by its supporters on Twitter after being posted elsewhere online. The terror group has taken to releasing its propaganda this way after the social media site began cracking down on official Islamic State accounts. The pictures bear the title of Wilayat Anbar, which is where Ramadi is located at. Wilayat Anbar makes up one of three proclaimed provinces for the Islamic State in Iraq's Anbar province. The wilayat joins Wilayat Fallujah and Wilayat al Furat (Euphrates).
The pictures show the group firing rocket propelled grenades (RPG's) at Iraqi military positions, several destroyed Humvees and at least one destroyed or abandoned M113 armored personnel carrier. Some pictures also show destroyed Sahwa (Awakening Movement) vehicles. Other pictures show dead military personnel and dead Sahwa tribal militiamen. The more graphic images have been left out of this post.
I have previously covered the fighting in Ramadi at The Long War Journal.
According to Reuters, gunmen attacked Anbar provincial government offices and the police headquarters in the center of the city when the assault began, as well as the al Huz and al Mua'almim districts. Another report indicated that the districts of Albu Hayis, Albu Fahd, and Albu Alwan, which are traditional strongholds of the Sunni tribal Awakening Movement, also came under attack.
Members of the Albu Fahd tribe were killed in an Islamic State massacre. The Islamic State reportedly murdered 25 members of the Albu Fahd tribe in eastern Ramadi; the bodies were found by Iraqi Security personnel, who believe the men were executed in retaliation for the tribe's resistance. It is not clear if these new pictures showcase this massacre.
At least 41 people have been killed since the fighting began, including ISF personnel, tribal militiamen and civilians. The losses sustained by the Islamic State in the recent fighting are not clear, but the National Iraqi News Agency reported that 39 of the group's fighters have been killed. This number could not be independently verified, however. For more information on the fighting in Ramadi, please read my articles at The Long War Journal here, here and here.
The photos can be seen below
The photos were disseminated by its supporters on Twitter after being posted elsewhere online. The terror group has taken to releasing its propaganda this way after the social media site began cracking down on official Islamic State accounts. The pictures bear the title of Wilayat Anbar, which is where Ramadi is located at. Wilayat Anbar makes up one of three proclaimed provinces for the Islamic State in Iraq's Anbar province. The wilayat joins Wilayat Fallujah and Wilayat al Furat (Euphrates).
The pictures show the group firing rocket propelled grenades (RPG's) at Iraqi military positions, several destroyed Humvees and at least one destroyed or abandoned M113 armored personnel carrier. Some pictures also show destroyed Sahwa (Awakening Movement) vehicles. Other pictures show dead military personnel and dead Sahwa tribal militiamen. The more graphic images have been left out of this post.
I have previously covered the fighting in Ramadi at The Long War Journal.
According to Reuters, gunmen attacked Anbar provincial government offices and the police headquarters in the center of the city when the assault began, as well as the al Huz and al Mua'almim districts. Another report indicated that the districts of Albu Hayis, Albu Fahd, and Albu Alwan, which are traditional strongholds of the Sunni tribal Awakening Movement, also came under attack.
Members of the Albu Fahd tribe were killed in an Islamic State massacre. The Islamic State reportedly murdered 25 members of the Albu Fahd tribe in eastern Ramadi; the bodies were found by Iraqi Security personnel, who believe the men were executed in retaliation for the tribe's resistance. It is not clear if these new pictures showcase this massacre.
At least 41 people have been killed since the fighting began, including ISF personnel, tribal militiamen and civilians. The losses sustained by the Islamic State in the recent fighting are not clear, but the National Iraqi News Agency reported that 39 of the group's fighters have been killed. This number could not be independently verified, however. For more information on the fighting in Ramadi, please read my articles at The Long War Journal here, here and here.
The photos can be seen below
- Caleb