The Common Ills: Nouri's assault on Anbar continues

Saturday, January 04, 2014

Nouri's assault on Anbar continues

That's AFP's video report and, to be clear, the man, Faraj Asim, holding the mortar round and pointing out this is a residential home? His brother's residential home. That mortar round came from Nouri's forces.

Faraj Asim: There were no armed men inside. There was a family living here. Are this family the terrorists they're speaking about? Is this action the liberation from terrorism that they are speaking about?

Regardless of who 'controls' Falluja at this moment (or the next), one of the most popular clips on Arabic social media right now is video of an Iraqi military convoy near Ramadi being struck by rockets. Social media is also referring to fighters as "tribal rebels" and no one's linking 'al Qaeda' except for the day's big conspiracy fear/belief.

This one says over 500 fighters have entered via Syria in the last day and maintains that they made the crossing via Nouri who wants to use Anbar as an excuse to delay parliamentary elections.

As the assault on Anbar continues, Wael Grace (Al Mada) reports residents of Falluja are having to ration their food supplies to one meal a day because the assault has left those who have not fled their homes with very little food while the water and the electricity has been cut off. NINA notes that Speaker of Parliament Osama al-Nujaifi is calling for "the Iraqi Red Crescent Society to provide assistance and necessary vital needs" to Anbar residents.

The assault on Falluja bears all the hallmarks of the US military assault in Novemeber 2004.

Grace reports 3,000 residents have been displaced. Saleh al-Issawi, Vice Chair of Anbar Board, describes the conditions in other Anbar cities as "good" but only if compared to Falluja where a humanitarian crisis is taking place. There are also reports that Falluja General Hospital is low on medicine and medical supplies.

As Alsumaria reports, the Falluja residents are fleeing due to the bombings and the mortar attacks -- Nouir' military's bombing campaign and military's mortar attacks.

Ghassan al-Azzwi (Kitabat) notes Nouri's attack on the protesters at the start of the week and how Nouri's attack has outraged people. Hamid Shahab notes the indifference of the US to the crisis that has been ongoing and has now erupted with the assault on Anbar. NINA reports that Iraqiya head Ayad Allawi met with UK Ambassador Simon Collis today to discuss the crisis. NINA also notes:

The Iraqi Front for National Dialogue, headed by Deputy Prime Minister, Saleh al-Mutlaq, demanded finding an effective solution to the ongoing events in Anbar province.
The Iraqi Front for National Dialogue media bureau quoted the Front’s member, Ashraf al-Dahan, saying that deteriorating security and humanitarian situation in Anbar province is badly in need for efforts to reach political solutions that would put the province’s citizens at ease and there are serious efforts to fulfill their legitimate demands.

Iraq Body Count counts 107 violent deaths on Thursday and Friday. Today? National Iraqi News Agency reports a Mosul bombing left 1 Iraqi soldier dead and two more injured, 1 suspect was shot dead in Mosul, 3 fighters were killed outside Tikrit, a Falluja bombing left nine people injured, Ramadi mortar attacks left 1 person dead and seven more injured, a Mafraq bombing left 1 police member dead and a civilian injured, 1 Iraqi soldier was shot dead in Mosul, 1 Shabak was shot dead in Mosul, a Baquba bombing left one police member injured, a Baquba sticky bombing left one person injured, Nouri's Golden Division announced that they had killed 18 fighters to the north of Ramadi, and Baghdad Operations Command announced they'd killed 13 fighters.

Please read Dirk Adriaensens "2013: Another year of slaughter in Iraq claims the lives of at least 21 media professionals" (BRussells Tribunal). I'll note it tomorrow. I've just taken some strong cold medicine and am going to take nap I can't do "I Hate The War" tonight, my apologies.

The following community sites -- plus Cindy Sheehan and Chocolate City -- updated last night and today: