Resistance Grows Against Islamic State in Iraq

The Islamic State, formerly known as ISIS, declared a caliphate in parts of Syria and Iraq, expelled all Christians from Mosul, and imposed Sharia law, but not everyone is giving up. There are reports of tribes forming militias to fight back against the Islamic State.

Nineveh province governor Atheel Al-Nujaifi told Asharq Al-Awsat that groups in Mosul formed a few days ago and “[carried] out a number of military operations against this organization.”

“The other armed factions in Mosul are exposed to ISIS which can fight them whenever it wants,” he said. “But these brigades are not known to ISIS… The tribal revolutionaries cannot fight ISIS, but we can fight it. [But] driving it out of the city will take time.”

The tribes mainly consist of Sunnis, which is the same sect the Islamic State claims to be a part of. Even though the tribes are prepared to fight the Islamic State, they make it known they are still against the central government in Baghdad, led by Shi’ite Prime Minister Nuri Al-Maliki.

“ISIS and the other terrorist organizations would not have been able to enter and occupy large parts of the country if the government had taken seriously the legitimate demands of the western governorates which protested against injustice, exclusion and marginalization,” said Sheikh Monef Al-Obeidi. “Part of the reason is also the absence of professional, well-trained armed forces with a patriotic [military] doctrine. The battles have clearly pointed this out.”

Unfortunately, the Islamic State is not contained to north Iraq. Babil Governor Sadiq Madloul Al-Sultani admitted the jihadists took over the Jurf Al-Sakhar district, which is 40 miles southwest of Baghdad. Sultani said “joint forces are preparing to launch a military campaign to purge the Jurf Al-Sakhar district.”

Press TV reports that Sunni tribes in Baiji and al-Shurqat districts fought against the Islamic state and destroyed 15 vehicles, and tribes in Salahuddin killed over 30 Islamic state members. From Press TV:

The volunteers in Salahuddin have been also stationed around holy Shia shrines in Samarra to repel militant attacks on the sites. Federal police have been also dispatched to the outskirts of the city to chase Takfiri terrorists in the area.

Elsewhere in Salahuddin, militants blew up a bridge linking the province to neighboring Kirkuk. Militants had earlier blown up a bridge that connected Ramadi to the capital Baghdad.

After the Christians left Mosul, the Islamic State marked Christian homes and businesses with the letter N for Nazarene. The terrorists told local business owners not to serve Christians or they could be punished with death. It did not take long for people to put “We are all Christians” next to the letter N on the homes.