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Iraqi General Insists Baghdad Is Safe From Insurgents Iraqi General Insists Baghdad Is Safe From Insurgents
(35 minutes later)
BAGHDAD — A top Iraqi general claimed on Saturday that Iraqi forces were regaining territory from the insurgents north of Baghdad, and he insisted there was no risk to the capital city, blaming the media for exaggerating the danger, but other reports from the north indicated that fighting was continuing in several places and that insurgents were fully in control of others. BAGHDAD — A top Iraqi general claimed on Saturday that Iraqi forces were regaining territory from the insurgents north of Baghdad, and he insisted that there was no risk to the capital. He accused the news media of exaggerating the danger, but other reports from the north indicated that fighting was continuing in several places and that insurgents were fully in control of others.
Gen. Qassim Atta, who is now the official spokesman for the Iraqi military, said at a news conference that the Iraqi army had retaken several towns along the highway connecting Mosul to Baghdad, and had secured the city of Samarra, which has a major Shiite shrine that the militants had threatened to destroy. At one point, militants of the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria had come to within 55 miles of Baghdad. Gen. Qassim Atta, who is now the spokesman for the Iraqi military, said at a news conference that the Iraqi army had retaken several towns along the highway connecting Mosul to Baghdad, and that it had secured the city of Samarra, which has a major Shiite shrine that the militants have threatened to destroy. At one point, militants of the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria came within 55 miles of Baghdad.
“The security in Baghdad is 100 percent stable, the majority of Salahuddin Province has been regained, the morale of the security forces is very high,” said, General Atta, who until recently was director of operations for the National Intelligence Service of Iraq, but apparently was appointed military spokesman in the midst of the present crisis. “The security in Baghdad is 100 percent stable, the majority of Salahuddin Province has been regained, the morale of the security forces is very high,” said General Atta, who until recently was director of operations for the National Intelligence Service of Iraq, but apparently was appointed military spokesman in the midst of the present crisis.
“Don’t count on what the media are saying, it’s not correct or accurate,” he said. “We have distinguished operations underway and we will announce details after they’re finished, after we start a new battle in Salahuddin, in Diyala, in Nineveh and Kirkuk.” “Don’t count on what the media are saying,” he said. “It’s not correct or accurate. We have distinguished operations underway and we will announce details after they’re finished, after we start a new battle in Salahuddin, in Diyala, in Nineveh and Kirkuk.”
But residents reported that militants had seized control over Udhaim, the capital of Diyala Province, about 50 miles north of Baghdad Residents reported that militants had seized control of Udhaim, the capital of Diyala Province, about 50 miles north of Baghdad.
General Atta gave few concrete details of the Iraqi gains, other than to say that Iraqi security forces had “liberated Baiji, Balad, Dujail, Ishaki and al Dulwayiha,” towns in Salahuddin Province. General Atta gave few concrete details of the military’s gains, other than to say that Iraqi security forces had “liberated Baiji, Balad, Dujail, Ishaki and al Dulwayiha,” towns in Salahuddin Province. Local journalists in Salahuddin, however, said fighting was still going on in those places.
Local journalists in Salahuddin, however, said fighting was still going on in those places. Insurgents downed a military helicopter in central Tikrit, just north of Baghdad, according to eyewitnesses, who said that all the crew members had been killed. The helicopter had been taking part in airstrikes by Iraqi forces against militants in Tikrit and its suburbs that residents said began Saturday morning.
Insurgents downed a military helicopter in central Tikrit just north of Baghdad, according to eyewitnesses, who said that all crew members were killed. The helicopter had been part of airstrikes by Iraqi forces against militants in Tikrit and its suburbs that residents said began Saturday morning.
Iraqi security forces did regain control of Dhuloiya and Ishaki, towns north of Baghdad, residents, security officials and Shiite militia leaders said.Iraqi security forces did regain control of Dhuloiya and Ishaki, towns north of Baghdad, residents, security officials and Shiite militia leaders said.
General Atta also referred to Nineveh Province, which was overrun by insurgents on Tuesday after they captured and occupied the capital, Mosul, Iraq’s second largest city; and to Kirkuk, which the Iraqi army abandoned, ceding control of the oil-rich area to Kurdish Peshmerga militiamen. General Atta also discussed Nineveh Province, which was overrun by insurgents on Tuesday after they captured and occupied its capital, Mosul, Iraq’s second largest city; and to Kirkuk, which the Iraqi army abandoned, ceding control of the oil-rich area to Kurdish pesh merga militiamen. He said the insurgents remained in many small villages in the north, but “even in Mosul we have security forces functional and working there.”
He said the insurgents remained in many small villages in the north, but “even in Mosul we have security forces functional and working there.”
Local leaders in Mosul, however, said the insurgents so completely controlled the city that they had begun establishing rules of conduct for residents, many of whom had initially fled but then returned after the militants assured them they would be safe.Local leaders in Mosul, however, said the insurgents so completely controlled the city that they had begun establishing rules of conduct for residents, many of whom had initially fled but then returned after the militants assured them they would be safe.
“They control everything in Mosul right now,” said a prominent Sunni sheikh in the city, who was critical of the ISIS takeover, but praised their conduct since then. “There’s no shooting. Yesterday they issued a statement with 17 points: No smoking, women must wear hijab. I am standing 35 meters from their headquarters, it’s ultimate security. They didn’t rob the banks, that’s a lie, and they didn’t enter any house. They didn’t shoot even one bullet.”“They control everything in Mosul right now,” said a prominent Sunni sheikh in the city, who was critical of the ISIS takeover, but praised their conduct since then. “There’s no shooting. Yesterday they issued a statement with 17 points: No smoking, women must wear hijab. I am standing 35 meters from their headquarters, it’s ultimate security. They didn’t rob the banks, that’s a lie, and they didn’t enter any house. They didn’t shoot even one bullet.”
Although General Atta insisted the Iraqi military controlled of the situation, he also said that centers were being formed for reconstituting the army in Nineveh Province. When the militants attacked Mosul on Tuesday, the army collapsed immediately, giving little or no resistance to the attackers. Many Iraqis blamed that on a preponderance of Kurdish and Sunni troops in Army’s the 2nd Division stationed in the Mosul area. Although General Atta insisted that the Iraqi military had control of the situation, he also said that centers were being formed for reconstituting the army in Nineveh Province. When the militants attacked Mosul on Tuesday, the army collapsed immediately, giving little or no resistance to the attackers. Many Iraqis attributed that to a preponderance of Kurdish and Sunni troops in Army’s the 2nd Division, which is stationed in the Mosul area.
In a televised address Friday night, Prime Minister Nuri Kamal al-Maliki spoke from Samarra, 82 miles north of Baghdad, reassuring listeners that the important Shia shrine there was safe. ISIS was reportedly on the outskirts north of Samarra by Thursday, but claimed to be negotiating the city’s surrender to its forces to avoid harming the shrine. In a televised address Friday night, Prime Minister Nuri Kamal al-Maliki spoke from Samarra, about 80 miles north of Baghdad, reassuring listeners that the Shia shrine there was safe. The militants were reported to be on the outskirts north of Samarra by Thursday, but claimed to be negotiating the city’s surrender to its forces to avoid harming the shrine.
“We’re going to punish all the people who left their posts,” Mr. Maliki said in his speech. “It was not a lack of weapons, it was a conspiracy.”“We’re going to punish all the people who left their posts,” Mr. Maliki said in his speech. “It was not a lack of weapons, it was a conspiracy.”
General Atta said the prime minister’s visit to Samarra, where he met with top military commanders, showed that the Iraqi military controlled the area.General Atta said the prime minister’s visit to Samarra, where he met with top military commanders, showed that the Iraqi military controlled the area.