Alwaght-Before talking about the stages of the Iraqi military, backed with popular committees, offensive against ISIS in Tikrit, it is necessary to clarify the importance of the city location. Tikrit is located at a distance of 160 km northwest of Baghdad on the Tigris River, with a population of 370 000 inhabitants, and is the center of Salahuddin province. Historically, Tikrit’s strategic location represented the perfect rallying point for each power, which seek to control the northern region of Iraq. Tikrit is located between Baghdad and Mosul, the center of Ninawa province, and the first areas occupied by the ISIS terrorists in June 2014.
ISIS militants seized the city in the summer in June 2014, in a series of attacks in northern Iraq. In the beginning of March, Iraqi forces, backed by Sunni tribal forces and popular committees (known as the Hashd al-Shaabi), launched an offensive to restore the city. Iraqi forces are trying to besiege ISIS militants in Tikrit and its surroundings, and cutting its contact with lines supplying it with equipment, armor, and logistic aids, before attacking its positions inside the city.
Tikrit gains a great deal of importance in terms of its strategic location in the center of the country; which was an obstacle in the face of the Iraqi forces and popular committees progress toward the city of Mosul. As well as its symbolism as the hometown of former Iraqi dictator Saddam Hussein, has put it in internal political classifications. However, that the participation of Iraqi tribes in the battle with a number of nearly three thousand fighters may contribute to raise sectarian and political cover for Takriti people who joined ISIS.
The operation involves more than thirty thousand Iraqi security personnel and militia forces. According to Iraqi military sources, forces attack regions seized by ISIS insurgents namely Tikrit, Al-Alam region (north of Tikrit) and the Al-Doar province (south of Tikrit. The offensive will take place from the three distinct fronts, in the south (the city of Samarra), north (University of Tikrit and Spyker military base), and to the east from the province of Diyala. Iraqi aviation launched an aerial bombardment.
The military campaign that was launched in Tikrit at midnight the day before yesterday was accompanied by a huge media campaign, and unprecedented political Iraqi appearance, where the Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi made a visit to Tikrit. Abadi had sought, through his emphasis on the importance of the role played by the tribes in the fight against ISIS, to respond to Western warnings of «Battle of Tikrit» sectarian repercussions.
According to an Iranian news agency “Fars News,” the Major General Qasem Soleimani has been in the battlefield from a while ago, and the agency has published pictures for him with leaders of the «Battle of Tikrit. » The Iranian commander is spearheading the Iraqi offensive on the ISIS-held city of Tikrit, providing tactical expertise and a key link to Tehran for supplies to the Iraqi military, advancing in Tikrit city.
Soleimani’s visit comes to score an extra point in the race between the US and Iran on the Iraqi Front for the benefit of the Iran, after the media blitz that accompanied the launch of the US-led «international coalition» last summer. The presence of Soleimani reveals the influence of Iran in the fight against ISIS. US-led coalition was too slow to react to ISIS’s march across northern Iraq; Soleimani was quick to play a more public role in Tehran’s efforts to tackle the terror group.
Over the past months, Iran has not hidden its distrust of the new US intervention in Mesopotamia and its credibility; especially given that hundreds of air strikes carried out by «international coalition» air strikes has failed so far to hit ISIS’s leadership. On the other hand, «Soleimani Allies, » a label launched by the Western media on the Popular Committees’ forces, have been achieving significant progress on the mission field. One of the most important recent achievements is the liberalization of Diyala province from ISIS, and after that, they started to prepare effectively for “Battle of Tikrit”, which they have long awaited, and then comes “Battle of Mosul” which is still moot case between the US and the Iraqi government. Iraqi officials declared that they would fight on their own timetable with or without American help.
It has been proved that the Iraqi decision was more correct and wise. There are about 20 brigades in the Popular Committees involved on a very broad front; in addition, four thousand fighters of Salah al-Din tribes joined the fight. This scene, along with what have the Iraqi nation have achieved, shocked the US administration. They saw how the Iraqis were well organized in terms of planning and how the troops were committed to timing, and the efforts that have been made in providing the means to destroy ISIS terrorists.
Despite the presence of four thousand British, American, French, Australian and Canadian advisers in Iraq, but they did not provide any support to Iraqi forces at all. These advisers leaked even information overtly, while they complained about the presence of Iranian advisers in the field.
The battle Salahuddin has caused Americans a major embarrassment, where the military leaders, including Defense Minister, where questioned by the American Congress. As well as, military experts and analysts in the US media criticized the American vision of going first to Mosul, which will cost much blood and is a fruitless effort. Whereas the Iraqi government is planning to attack Al-Anbar after Tikrit’s battle. The reason behind step goes back to the fact that, Al-Anbar borders Syria and ISIS militants are benefiting from these borders to bring equipment and insurgents to fight in Iraq.
