By Muhammed al-Salehi
Azzaman, December 28, 2014
A senior Iraqi Shiite militia leader has urged civilians in 18 villages controlled by Islamic State (IS) militants to leave before the launch of a new offensive to purge the Province of Diyala of the jihadist group.
The offensive, they say, is necessary to spare the inhabitants of the city of Muqdadiyah, home to more than 300,000 people, indiscriminate shelling by the militants.
Muqdadiyah lies about 80 kilometers to the northeast of Baghdad and 30 kilometers from Baaquba, the capital of Diyala Province.
The villages administratively are part of Muqdadiyah and their “liberation” Iraq says is vital to protect civilian lives in the city.
There are no statistics on casualties as a result of shelling by IS militants but according to Hadi al-Ameri, head of the al-Bader Brigades, “the inhabitants of Muqdadiyah are constantly targeted by mortar shells from the terrorists.”
Ameri is Minister of Transportation in the Iraqi government and also leads al-Bader Organization whose military wing, al-Bader Brigades, has emerged as one of the most powerful Shiite militia groups fighting IS.
“We urge civilians (in villages under IS control) to leave the area as we are going to direct a decisive blow to terrorism and fear for their safety,” Ameri said.
Bader Brigades are deployed within Iraqi army units in the area and a military source demanding anonymity said forces were about to attack but were advised to give inhabitants the chance to flee areas of operations.
Ameri is reported to be willing to strike a deal with Sunni tribes north of Muqdadiyah in order to persuade them to leave their areas prior to the attack.
The villages are inhabited by members of Jibour and and Khailaniya, two powerful Sunni clans many of whose tribesmen are fighting on government’s side.
But the move to evacuate civilians in areas under IS control is fraught with danger. The militants usually do not allow civilians to leave and if they do there are fears of jihadists infiltrating their ranks.
Members of Ameri’s Bader Brigades want to scrutinize those fleeing to government side to make sure there are no militants among them.
Those opting to leave will be given temporary housing until their villages are purged.
The government says IS militants have turned areas north of Muqdadiyah into strong bastions, undermining security in the whole of Diyala Province.
“Once we liberate these villages, the Province of Diyala will be declared free of Daeesh (the Arabic name for IS),” one source said.
