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| In an Iraqi Town Hollowed Out by Jihadists, There Is No Going Back to How It Was | In an Iraqi Town Hollowed Out by Jihadists, There Is No Going Back to How It Was |
| (10 days later) | |
| MAHMOUR, Iraq — The streets of this front-line town bear the scars of combat: the shops are closed or destroyed and most of the homes are abandoned, some still covered in graffiti scrawled by fighters from the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria. | |
| Nearly a week after American airstrikes paved the way for Kurdish forces to reclaim this once bustling enclave from the Sunni militants of ISIS, very few people have returned. Residents know that just a few miles south the extremists still lurk. | Nearly a week after American airstrikes paved the way for Kurdish forces to reclaim this once bustling enclave from the Sunni militants of ISIS, very few people have returned. Residents know that just a few miles south the extremists still lurk. |
| “No one will come back until ISIS are gone,” said one tired business owner, who moved to Erbil, the capital of Kurdistan, after the Kurdish militia, known as the pesh merga, lost control of Mahmour earlier this month. | “No one will come back until ISIS are gone,” said one tired business owner, who moved to Erbil, the capital of Kurdistan, after the Kurdish militia, known as the pesh merga, lost control of Mahmour earlier this month. |
| “No one trusts the pesh merga anymore,” he added. “They told us they would defend us, and then they fled.” | “No one trusts the pesh merga anymore,” he added. “They told us they would defend us, and then they fled.” |
| Recent efforts by the pesh merga have done little to lift the former residents’ spirits. A giant trench that faces the ISIS fighters’ current positions, along with a perimeter of Kurdish fighters placed around Mahmour, are reminders of the threat that ISIS still poses to Iraq’s Kurdish minority. Mahmour is about 60 miles from Erbil. | Recent efforts by the pesh merga have done little to lift the former residents’ spirits. A giant trench that faces the ISIS fighters’ current positions, along with a perimeter of Kurdish fighters placed around Mahmour, are reminders of the threat that ISIS still poses to Iraq’s Kurdish minority. Mahmour is about 60 miles from Erbil. |
| Few people, including those in the pesh merga, have faith that they could withstand another assault by ISIS without more military assistance from Western governments. | Few people, including those in the pesh merga, have faith that they could withstand another assault by ISIS without more military assistance from Western governments. |
| “We cannot face them, because we will lose many men,” said Farman Farhad, a commander whose Kurdish fighters patrol the area south of Mahmour. Citing the heavy weapons that the militants have plundered from the Iraqi Army, he added. “We don’t have the proper equipment.” | “We cannot face them, because we will lose many men,” said Farman Farhad, a commander whose Kurdish fighters patrol the area south of Mahmour. Citing the heavy weapons that the militants have plundered from the Iraqi Army, he added. “We don’t have the proper equipment.” |
| That aid appeared to grow closer to reality on Friday, as the members of the European Union unanimously endorsed the efforts of some individual member nations to deliver arms directly to the Kurdish forces. While the agreement fell short of enabling coordinated military assistance from the 28-member bloc, a statement by the ministers welcomed “the decision by individual member states to respond positively to the call by the Kurdish regional authorities to provide urgently needed military matériel.” | That aid appeared to grow closer to reality on Friday, as the members of the European Union unanimously endorsed the efforts of some individual member nations to deliver arms directly to the Kurdish forces. While the agreement fell short of enabling coordinated military assistance from the 28-member bloc, a statement by the ministers welcomed “the decision by individual member states to respond positively to the call by the Kurdish regional authorities to provide urgently needed military matériel.” |
| France, Italy and the Czech Republic are also said to be preparing military aid for Iraq, and British officials have said they would look favorably on Iraqi requests for arms to combat ISIS, which has seized control of much of northern and western Iraq. | France, Italy and the Czech Republic are also said to be preparing military aid for Iraq, and British officials have said they would look favorably on Iraqi requests for arms to combat ISIS, which has seized control of much of northern and western Iraq. |
| In addition, after Prime Minister Nuri Kamal al-Maliki of Iraq agreed on Thursday to relinquish power, increased military support from the United States appeared likely. | In addition, after Prime Minister Nuri Kamal al-Maliki of Iraq agreed on Thursday to relinquish power, increased military support from the United States appeared likely. |
| The broad international condemnation of ISIS’s brutal tactics also led to a unanimous vote on Friday by the United Nations Security Council to approve a resolution, drafted by Britain, imposing sanctions on six men for recruiting or financing foreign fighters in Iraq or Syria. The resolution also demanded that all terrorist groups disarm and disband and it threatened additional sanctions against those who support the groups. | The broad international condemnation of ISIS’s brutal tactics also led to a unanimous vote on Friday by the United Nations Security Council to approve a resolution, drafted by Britain, imposing sanctions on six men for recruiting or financing foreign fighters in Iraq or Syria. The resolution also demanded that all terrorist groups disarm and disband and it threatened additional sanctions against those who support the groups. |
| After ISIS routed the Iraqi Army in many parts of the country, military equipment previously given or sold to Iraq by the United States appears to have fallen into the militants’ hands. This includes armored vehicles and heavy artillery, and better firearms than the Kurdish forces possess. | After ISIS routed the Iraqi Army in many parts of the country, military equipment previously given or sold to Iraq by the United States appears to have fallen into the militants’ hands. This includes armored vehicles and heavy artillery, and better firearms than the Kurdish forces possess. |
| A small contingent of pesh merga fighters on the southern edge of Mahmour, a sunbaked stretch of brown desert, complained bitterly that the ISIS militants’ plunder had put them at an extreme disadvantage. | A small contingent of pesh merga fighters on the southern edge of Mahmour, a sunbaked stretch of brown desert, complained bitterly that the ISIS militants’ plunder had put them at an extreme disadvantage. |
| “They have better weapons from the Iraqi Army,” Mr. Farhad said. | “They have better weapons from the Iraqi Army,” Mr. Farhad said. |
| In recent days, he said, ISIS fighters had fired mortars at their position and had deployed a sniper to fire at units patrolling between the two front lines. Scanning the horizon, he pointed to a cluster of buildings in a Sunni village just a few miles away that he said was supporting ISIS. | In recent days, he said, ISIS fighters had fired mortars at their position and had deployed a sniper to fire at units patrolling between the two front lines. Scanning the horizon, he pointed to a cluster of buildings in a Sunni village just a few miles away that he said was supporting ISIS. |
| “They have a lot of soldiers,” he said. “The Arab Sunnis joined them.” | “They have a lot of soldiers,” he said. “The Arab Sunnis joined them.” |
| The few residents who have returned to Mahmour believe that some of their Arab neighbors, along with people in Arab villages on the outskirts of town, aided ISIS in gaining control so quickly. | The few residents who have returned to Mahmour believe that some of their Arab neighbors, along with people in Arab villages on the outskirts of town, aided ISIS in gaining control so quickly. |
| “There are some with ISIS and others with us,” said Saman Yusuf, a Kurd who brought his family back to town this week. “They got information from people and shared it.” | “There are some with ISIS and others with us,” said Saman Yusuf, a Kurd who brought his family back to town this week. “They got information from people and shared it.” |
| A group of men standing near the center of Mahmour also shared the suspicion that some, though by no means all, of their Arab neighbors had betrayed them by helping ISIS. | A group of men standing near the center of Mahmour also shared the suspicion that some, though by no means all, of their Arab neighbors had betrayed them by helping ISIS. |
| “We will see which ones move back into the town,” said a cabdriver, who had moved his family to Erbil. | “We will see which ones move back into the town,” said a cabdriver, who had moved his family to Erbil. |
| Mr. Yusuf said 40 people were now living in his home. Bullet holes had punctured its unpainted concrete facade, which he proudly showed to visitors. | Mr. Yusuf said 40 people were now living in his home. Bullet holes had punctured its unpainted concrete facade, which he proudly showed to visitors. |
| Mr. Yusuf said that he had sent his children to Erbil when the fighting began, and that he and his wife armed themselves and hid in the neighboring mountains, hoping to defend Mahmour. They returned home after the American airstrikes helped force the ISIS forces from town, having resigned themselves to the fact that they had nowhere else to go. | Mr. Yusuf said that he had sent his children to Erbil when the fighting began, and that he and his wife armed themselves and hid in the neighboring mountains, hoping to defend Mahmour. They returned home after the American airstrikes helped force the ISIS forces from town, having resigned themselves to the fact that they had nowhere else to go. |
| “We are the first family to come back,” he said, as his children played video games on a television run by a generator. “This is our land and our home — we have nowhere else to go. We built it ourselves.” | “We are the first family to come back,” he said, as his children played video games on a television run by a generator. “This is our land and our home — we have nowhere else to go. We built it ourselves.” |
| Despite the grim environment outside, the Yusuf home was relatively lively. Children ran through the living room, carting their parents’ assault rifles and a set of body armor. Mr. Yusuf’s brother, a police officer, and his family had moved in. Women brought trays of rice and chicken, along with bowls of tomato stew, into the spacious living room. | Despite the grim environment outside, the Yusuf home was relatively lively. Children ran through the living room, carting their parents’ assault rifles and a set of body armor. Mr. Yusuf’s brother, a police officer, and his family had moved in. Women brought trays of rice and chicken, along with bowls of tomato stew, into the spacious living room. |
| “We are trying to encourage others to return as well,” Mr. Yusuf said. ”but they are afraid. Some won’t even come back for their furniture.” | “We are trying to encourage others to return as well,” Mr. Yusuf said. ”but they are afraid. Some won’t even come back for their furniture.” |
| Though he is hoping to serve as an anchor in the neighborhood, Mr. Yusuf acknowledged that there were no shortage of pitfalls to returning so soon. A rocket destroyed his car, reducing it to a blackened husk. Without water, the family must travel to a nearby farm to drink and wash. For chicken, Mr. Yusuf said, he has to approach ISIS territory. | Though he is hoping to serve as an anchor in the neighborhood, Mr. Yusuf acknowledged that there were no shortage of pitfalls to returning so soon. A rocket destroyed his car, reducing it to a blackened husk. Without water, the family must travel to a nearby farm to drink and wash. For chicken, Mr. Yusuf said, he has to approach ISIS territory. |
| Concerned that he may not be able to count on the pesh merga, he is determined to be self-sufficient. His children, the oldest of whom is a teenager, all know how to fire a weapon. So do the women. The family keeps armed guards on the roof each night, in case the ISIS militants return. Though he worries about his children growing up accustomed to such violence, he accepts it with equanimity, having little recourse. | Concerned that he may not be able to count on the pesh merga, he is determined to be self-sufficient. His children, the oldest of whom is a teenager, all know how to fire a weapon. So do the women. The family keeps armed guards on the roof each night, in case the ISIS militants return. Though he worries about his children growing up accustomed to such violence, he accepts it with equanimity, having little recourse. |
| “What choice do I have?” he asked. | “What choice do I have?” he asked. |