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| Iraqi Militants Kill 26 in Raid on Baghdad Building | Iraqi Militants Kill 26 in Raid on Baghdad Building |
| (about 2 months later) | |
| BAGHDAD — Gunmen stormed an apartment complex in Baghdad on Saturday night and killed at least 20 women and six men, according to the Interior Ministry. | |
| The apartment complex is known for prostitution and in the past prostitutes have been the targets of extrajudicial killings there by Muslim extremists. It was not clear if that was what happened this time. However, if the targets were prostitutes, it is unlikely that would cause the kind of backlash that a large-scale sectarian killing would. | The apartment complex is known for prostitution and in the past prostitutes have been the targets of extrajudicial killings there by Muslim extremists. It was not clear if that was what happened this time. However, if the targets were prostitutes, it is unlikely that would cause the kind of backlash that a large-scale sectarian killing would. |
| Still the attack, and the fact that at least initially the perpetrators seemed to vanish without a trace, raised the specter that amid the chaos sweeping the country, gunmen feel they can act with complete impunity even in the capital. Almost at the same time, a television station associated with Sunnis broadcast what it said was a recording by Izzat Ibrahim al-Douri, a fugitive who was Saddam Hussein’s vice president and a senior figure in the Baath Party. | Still the attack, and the fact that at least initially the perpetrators seemed to vanish without a trace, raised the specter that amid the chaos sweeping the country, gunmen feel they can act with complete impunity even in the capital. Almost at the same time, a television station associated with Sunnis broadcast what it said was a recording by Izzat Ibrahim al-Douri, a fugitive who was Saddam Hussein’s vice president and a senior figure in the Baath Party. |
| Intelligence experts here have predicted an unleashing of anti-government cells and some wondered on Saturday if Mr. Douri’s message was the signal for the cells to begin to fight. | Intelligence experts here have predicted an unleashing of anti-government cells and some wondered on Saturday if Mr. Douri’s message was the signal for the cells to begin to fight. |
| “The liberation of Baghdad has become close or closer,” the man reported to be Mr. Douri said in a statement full of support for the insurgency that has swept through large parts of northern and western Iraq. “Half of Iraq’s land is outside of the government’s control.” | “The liberation of Baghdad has become close or closer,” the man reported to be Mr. Douri said in a statement full of support for the insurgency that has swept through large parts of northern and western Iraq. “Half of Iraq’s land is outside of the government’s control.” |
| The statement was also notable because it appeared to run counter to reports that the insurgency could be weakened by friction between the main insurgent group and Mr. Douri’s group of former loyalists to Saddam Hussein. | The statement was also notable because it appeared to run counter to reports that the insurgency could be weakened by friction between the main insurgent group and Mr. Douri’s group of former loyalists to Saddam Hussein. |
| Mr. Douri is the founder of the Men of the Army of the Naqshbandia Order, a group of former Baathists that has taken an active part in the recent battles against the Iraqi government. The broadcast heaped praise on the main Sunni insurgent group, the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria, or ISIS. | Mr. Douri is the founder of the Men of the Army of the Naqshbandia Order, a group of former Baathists that has taken an active part in the recent battles against the Iraqi government. The broadcast heaped praise on the main Sunni insurgent group, the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria, or ISIS. |
| “What happened in Nineveh and Tikrit is the greatest day ever in Iraqi and Arab history,” the man reported to be Mr. Douri said, referring to the ISIS takeovers, which were carried out with the help of a number of insurgent groups, including the Naqshbandia Order. | “What happened in Nineveh and Tikrit is the greatest day ever in Iraqi and Arab history,” the man reported to be Mr. Douri said, referring to the ISIS takeovers, which were carried out with the help of a number of insurgent groups, including the Naqshbandia Order. |
| He blessed all the groups, but above all “the heroes and knights of Al Qaeda and ISIS,” adding, “I send them warm greetings full of love.” | He blessed all the groups, but above all “the heroes and knights of Al Qaeda and ISIS,” adding, “I send them warm greetings full of love.” |
| The fighting for small patches of territory continued on Saturday. Security forces regained control of a military base that ISIS had taken over in an area northeast of Baghdad. It remained unclear if the militants might be regrouping to try to grab back the base. | The fighting for small patches of territory continued on Saturday. Security forces regained control of a military base that ISIS had taken over in an area northeast of Baghdad. It remained unclear if the militants might be regrouping to try to grab back the base. |
| Seventeen militants and six members of the security forces were killed in that fighting in Diyala Province, according to a doctor at the provincial hospital, which received the bodies. | Seventeen militants and six members of the security forces were killed in that fighting in Diyala Province, according to a doctor at the provincial hospital, which received the bodies. |
| “There are no civilians in the area,” said a man who lives near the area and could hear the fighting, but asked not to be quoted by name because he feared one side or the other would find out. | “There are no civilians in the area,” said a man who lives near the area and could hear the fighting, but asked not to be quoted by name because he feared one side or the other would find out. |
| “It’s a war zone, only ISIS and the army are there and the army is not really an army,” he said, explaining that many of those participating in the fight are Shiite militia members. | “It’s a war zone, only ISIS and the army are there and the army is not really an army,” he said, explaining that many of those participating in the fight are Shiite militia members. |
| Other locals said they too believed that militias were now heavily involved in the fighting in Diyala. This fight, locals said, included members of the Asaib al-Haq militia and the Peace Brigades, a new group of volunteer fighters started by the radical Shiite cleric Moktada al-Sadr. | Other locals said they too believed that militias were now heavily involved in the fighting in Diyala. This fight, locals said, included members of the Asaib al-Haq militia and the Peace Brigades, a new group of volunteer fighters started by the radical Shiite cleric Moktada al-Sadr. |
| South of Baghdad, in Babil Province, the southern front of the fighting against Sunni extremists remained difficult for the Iraqi military. After four police officers were killed, the army went in to retrieve the bodies and was ambushed by ISIS fighters who killed four of them, according to the operations command in Hilla, the provincial capital. | South of Baghdad, in Babil Province, the southern front of the fighting against Sunni extremists remained difficult for the Iraqi military. After four police officers were killed, the army went in to retrieve the bodies and was ambushed by ISIS fighters who killed four of them, according to the operations command in Hilla, the provincial capital. |
| In developments elsewhere in the country, officials raised the death toll from Friday’s suicide bombing in Kirkuk to 28 from 13. | In developments elsewhere in the country, officials raised the death toll from Friday’s suicide bombing in Kirkuk to 28 from 13. |
| As the military showdowns continued, the country’s political parties were still attempting to form a new government after elections in April, with the parties saying they would go to the Parliament on Sunday to make another effort. The divide between the country’s ethnic and sectarian groups has deepened since the elections, and so far the parties have been unable to bridge the gaps. | As the military showdowns continued, the country’s political parties were still attempting to form a new government after elections in April, with the parties saying they would go to the Parliament on Sunday to make another effort. The divide between the country’s ethnic and sectarian groups has deepened since the elections, and so far the parties have been unable to bridge the gaps. |
| It seemed unlikely that the parties would be able to quickly smooth over their differences. In an interview on Saturday Dafar al-Ani, the spokesman for the largest Sunni bloc, said that he thought the Sunnis needed two or three more days to agree on their nominee for the speakership. | It seemed unlikely that the parties would be able to quickly smooth over their differences. In an interview on Saturday Dafar al-Ani, the spokesman for the largest Sunni bloc, said that he thought the Sunnis needed two or three more days to agree on their nominee for the speakership. |
| Approving a speaker is the first step in forming a government, according to the Constitution. Then within two weeks, the Parliament must vote on a president and within a month of that, a prime minister. | Approving a speaker is the first step in forming a government, according to the Constitution. Then within two weeks, the Parliament must vote on a president and within a month of that, a prime minister. |
| The United Nations envoy to Iraq, Nickolay Mladenov issued a statement Saturday saying that “failing to move forward on electing a new speaker, a new president, and a new government risks plunging the country into chaos.” | The United Nations envoy to Iraq, Nickolay Mladenov issued a statement Saturday saying that “failing to move forward on electing a new speaker, a new president, and a new government risks plunging the country into chaos.” |