Iraq launches a new process of “Will to Victory”

Mouaz Mohammad

Major General Nasser al-Ghannam, commander of Anbar’s operations in Iraq, announced on Sunday, October 6, 2019, the launch of the sixth operation “Will of Victory”, which aims to clear areas of the province from the cells of the Islamic State terrorist organization.

Al-Ghannam said in a press statement that the security situation in Anbar is safe, stable and controlled.

The commander of operations said that the launch of the operation “Will of Victory” is sixth of three axes, to clear the Anbar areas of IS cells.

Previous operations

On July 7, 2019, the Iraqi Joint Operations Command announced the launch of the first phase of Operation Will of Victory in three governorates towards the international border with Syria, to hunt down ISIS operatives.

According to an official statement, reported by the Security Media Cell in Iraq at the time, during the first phase of “Will of Victory”, two airstrikes by the coalition’s international aviation were carried out. Ten dens of terrorists were destroyed, 18 explosive devices were bombed.

The Joint Operations Command announced on August 5, 2018, the launch of the third phase of Operation ‘Will of Victory’, to raid, search and clear areas of Diyala, and other areas in southern Nineveh, to eliminate remnants of the terrorist organization and end its threat, according to a statement of the command. It resulted in the destruction of 12 tunnels, 42 explosive devices, 6 82 mm mortar bombs, 155 mm shells and 2 bicycles, 18 wanted men were arrested and 4 terrorists were killed.

Also, on August 24, 2019, the Iraqi Security Media Cell announced the launching of the fourth phase of Operation ‘Will of Victory’ next to the arrest of two suspects.

The operation Will of Victory in its fifth stage, was launched on September 16, in the desert of Anbar, according to the security media cell results.

Three explosive devices were detonated, a mortar and 20 bombs, 16 BmB rocket launchers and two RBG7 missiles, 150 rounds of 27-mm artillery and Steyr sniper fire were found.

ISIS plans to return

Since Iraq’s announcement of the military elimination of ISIS in its territory in late 2017, the group’s criminal operations have subsided, but there have been many limited operations in different areas of Baghdad, such as “killing soldiers, detonating an explosive device, and booby-trapping”. On September 21, 2019, he claimed responsibility for the attack that killed 12 people near the Iraqi city of Karbala.

There have also been numerous reports of ISIS returning to Iraq, and it is striving to reshape its forces by revitalizing its sleeper cells inside Baghdad and Syria.

The Iraqi Army launched Operation Will of Victory with the participation of forces from the command of the operations of Al-Jazeera, Nineveh and Salah al-Din, and the participation of large sections of the tribal crowd, and the support of the Iraqi Air Force, and the support of the International Coalition to fight ISIS, to follow some sleeper cells of the organization in the provinces of Iraq.

Coverage of crimes

For his part, Hazem al-Obeidi, an Iraqi political analyst and writer, said that the goal of the operation is not to eliminate the Daesh organization as they claim, confirming in a special statement to the Reference it was launched at this time specifically to cover up crimes and operations currently taking place against demonstrators in Baghdad.

Obeidi added that the Iraqi government is practicing repression against demonstrators, which claimed the lives of hundreds of deaths, and thousands of wounded, with the support of the Iranian Revolutionary Guards, stressing that what is happening in Baghdad revolution and popular uprising.