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Boys
of war: ISIS recruit, kidnap children as young as 10 yo
Sunni
ISIS jihadists are recruiting children as young as 10 years old to
fight for an Islamic state in Iraq and Syria. While there are boys
who voluntarily join the ISIS, there are many more who are being
forced to fight for jihad.
RT,
2
July, 2014
10-year
old Abdullah is the youngest known volunteer fighting with the ISIS
in Iraq’s Mosul, according to The Daily Beast. It describes the
moment of Abdullah casually walking into a local grocery store. This
would be a common picture, except that the boy was masked and had a
heavy machine gun, “about as big as him.”
Abdullah
is reportedly hopeful about the prospects for the ISIS.
“We
believe they will conquer all of Iraq and Persia and that they will
liberate Jerusalem,” a
gunman, who the news website assumed was responsible for the boy,
said. “They
have a dream and their dream is to establish an Islamic state.”
ISIS
that has seized large parts of northern Iraq is, according to
different estimates, between 7,000 to 10,000 fighters.
In
Mosul, which the group overran two weeks ago, the group is believed
to have 4,000 troops and is desperate for more foot soldiers, the
Daily Beast reported.
As
soon as the ISIS took over the city, Sunni jihadists started looking
for young men aged between 10 and 30 “both
to control the territories they have and to join the fight on other
fronts within Iraq.”
While
the 10-year old Abdullah voluntarily joined ISIS, following in his
father's and brother’s footsteps, there are boys who are taken away
from their families and forced to be in the group.
In
neighboring Syria, a 14-year-old from Raqqa was lured into one of the
ISIS camps, The Syria Deeply reported.
Mohammed
was convinced the camp, specially designed for boys 15 and younger,
had been established to teach Quran and the foundation of Islam.
"ISIS
said this was the purpose of the camp," the
teenager told The Syria Deeply.
However,
it turned out to be more than just that.
“The
training was divided into two parts. In religious classes, they
taught us their version of Islam, the extremist methods they follow,
and the necessary foundations of creating an Islamic caliphate state
– their ultimate goal. They also try to convince us of jihadist
ideology, like the greatness of martyrdom,”Mohammed
said.
The
camp’s “curriculum” also included combat training and lessons
on how to use arms. The “course” lasted for 25 days.
Abdullah
and Mohammed are, obviously, far from the only children in the ISIS
ranks.
Last
week footage appeared online showing young boys holding what appeared
to be assault rifles and sitting in trucks full of militants parading
through captured Mosul, ITV reported.
There
are cases of children being kidnapped and “brainwashed” by
ISIS. Abducted in May in the city of Aleppo, Syria, the fate of 133
of 159 teenagers remain uncertain.
Two
of the boys who escaped told the media that ISIS was forcing
the children to
undergo lessons in Sharia and jihadist ideology. Jihadists beat
children who misbehaved.
In
its report published
on June 24, the Human Rights Watch said that in Syria, ISIS
specifically recruited children through free schooling campaigns that
included weapons training, and have given them dangerous tasks,
including suicide bombing missions.
In
its annual report issued mid-May, the UN also said that “children
fighting with ISIS [in Syria] are reportedly paid like adults (35,000
Syrian pounds, approximately $200) and undergo both weapons and
jihadist indoctrination training.”
Today’s
SITREP has been divided for clarity; a lot can happen in 24 hours
2
July, 2014
Government
Areas
1st
July: The followers of the anti Iranian Shia cleric Mahmud al-Hasani
al-Sarkhi march on the Imam Hussain (as) shrine in Karbala and clash
with security personnel blocking them. The clashes are reported to be
fierce with 25 people killed. The exact cause of the confrontation is
unclear. Al-Sarkhi is opposed to the influence of “Iranian Marjas”
such as Sistani. It is interesting to note that Sistani is Iranian
born but has lived in Najaf most of his life.
2nd
Junly: Karbala is under curfew and security forces have laid siege to
the office of Al-Sharkhi where he has taken shelter along with a
number of his followers. His followers have also blockaded roads in
Nasiriyah and Basra (both southern Shi’ite cities) and clashes have
been reported between the army and his supporters in other cities of
the south of Iraq.
2nd
July: A second batch of five Sukhoi fighters has arrived in Iraq. The
Iraqi Air Force now has 10 SU25s supplied by Russia. Seven helicopter
gunships have also been delivered by Russia, three MI-28M Havocs and
four Mi-35s. A further 24 MI-35Ms and MI-28NEs are to be delivered
till 2016 under a 4.2 billion USD contract signed in 2012. The
helicopters are believed to have night warfare capabilities.
2nd
July: The Iraqi Government has released footage of army operations in
Tikrit to corroborate its claims of having entered the city. Army
personnel are seen patrolling the streets and clearing the University
Campus.
2nd
July: The Iraqi army’s advance into Tikrit has been slowed down by
booby traps, IEDs, and traps installed by militants. The army’s
engineering wing his assisting the regular forces identify and
contain them. Traps were found in government buildings and roads. The
withdrawal of rebel forces from parts of Tikrit is being seen as a
trap to cause non combat casualties amongst the army. Clashes in some
areas have been fierce with the army calling in air strikes to
dislodge entrenched rebels.
2nd
July: The Iraqi army claims to have defused over 40 IEDs and to have
painstakingly removed Daash flags from buildings and roadsides in
Tikrit.
2nd
July: The Iraqi ambassador to the US, Luqman Al-Faili, has asked the
United States for much needed Military aid and airstrikes. In his
address to the Carnegie Institute he stated “Baghdad would be
unable to wait for more to receive additional assistance from the
United States.” He stressed that Iraq would turn to other
governments and Iran for military aid. He stated that both Iran and
Turkey could be asked to aid with airstrikes.
2nd
July: Dr Haider Al-Abadi, senior politician and spokesperson for
Maliki, to Huffington Post UK “We have to be careful not to become
involved in a sectarian war,” he said, adding: “Shias are not
against Sunnis and Sunnis are not against Shias.” And that “Isis
has got its own agenda regarding what it’s doing in Iraq. Whatever
we do, even if we bring in a Sunni prime minister, they’ll be
against him.. They fought against (former Iraqi prime minister Ayad)
Allawi because he was secular, even though he wasn’t a Shia.” He
also pointed out threat of returning Daash fighters to the UK.
2nd
July: Analysts at the International Institute for Strategic Studies
(IISS), UK, claim that the jets delivered to Iraq on the 1st of July
originated in Iran and not Russia.
2nd
July: Maliki has offered an amnesty to rebels “I announce the
provision of an amnesty for all tribes and all people who were
involved in actions against the state but who now ‘return to their
senses,’ excluding those involved in killings.”
2nd
July, Government claims for the day:
Iraqi
government releases a video showing “Russian” supplied Su-25s
attacking Daash/rebel positions
Iraqi
government releases further videos of its air force bombing
Daash/rebel fighters in Anbar and Baylon
The
Iraqi army is in control of the University of Tikrit and is using it
as a base of operations to “liberate” Tikrit
The
air force is reporting killing 60 Daash fighters in the Jurf
al-Sakhar district of northern Babel.
Sunni/contested
Areas:
2nd
July: Athel al-Nujaifi , the Governor of Nineveh has called for the
creation of a “Sunni Territory” within Iraq. He states that the
Sunnis no longer trust the army or the government in Baghdad. He has
pointed out that the region is rich in natural oil wealth such as the
15 unexploited newly discovered oil fields in Anbar province. He has
also citied ample water resources and agriculture as arguments for
secession or autonomy.
2nd
July: Daash had in a meeting held on Tuesday in Mosul asked its
allied tribes and Ba’athist fighters to lay down their arms and
swear allegiance to their caliph. This call has been made throughout
the Sunni areas it controls in Iraq and Syria. Strangely Daash’s
insistence on allegiance to stay within the DI (Daulat Islamia) of
Daash is very similar to what is required of the citizens of the
United States.
A
funny thing that needs to be mentioned is that Al Baghdadi, the
caliph of the DI of Daash’s real name is Ibrahim ibn Awwad ibn
Ibrahim Ali ibn Muhammad al-Badri al-Hashimi al-Husayni al-Qurashi.
His name implies that he is from the lineage of the Prophet and from
the same tribe. The devil is in the detail. This information needs to
be dusted for fingerprints.
2nd
July: A rocket attack in the Shirqat district, north of Tikrit, has
left 16 people dead and injured 5. It is not clear who was
responsible for the rocket attack that damaged seven houses. The
district is located close to Baiji and has seen clashes between the
Iraqi army and Daash/Rebel fighters.
2nd
July: Senior Jordanian Al Qaida figures/clerics Abu Mohammed Al
Maqdissi and Mohammad Shalabi have condemned the DI of Daash.
2nd
July: Clashes break out between Daash fighters and Naqshabandi
fighters in Himreen in Nineveh province leaving four dead.
Kurdish
areas
2nd
July: Amir-Abdollahian, Iran’s Deputy Foreign Minister speaking in
Russia “Although Iraq has a strong army, Iran is ready to send
military consultants to the neighboring country to help with battles
against the al-Qaeda splinter Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant
(ISIL).” Further “All Iraqi factions should respect the country’s
constitution.”
2nd
July: Maliki refers to the Kurdish bid for an independence referendum
as unconstitutional.
Related:
2nd
July: Daash fighters in Syria have captured the Syrian/DI of Daash
town of Boukamal from the rival Al-Qaida linked “Obama moderate”
rebel Al Nusra front. Al-Nusra fighters had earlier defected to the
ranks of Daash. Daash is now advancing to the Al Nusra stronghold of
Shuheil that is also the birth place of Al Nusra’s leader Abu
Muhammed Al Golani. Heavy fighting is expected and residents of
Shuheli are fleeing in mass.
2nd
June: More Bandars for Saudi Arabia. Saudi Arabia has appointed
Prince Khaled Bin Bandar as its intelligence chief. The earlier
Bandar, Prince Bandar Bin Sultan, was sacked three months ago. The
King has put the armed forces on a high state of alert fearing
violence from Islamic militants.
2nd
July: Rebels in Syria released this statement “We, the leaders of
the brigades and battalions...give the National Coalition, the
[opposition] interim government, the [rebel] Supreme Military Council
and all the leading bodies of the Syrian revolution a week to send
reinforcements and complete aid. Should our call not be heard, we
will lay down our weapons and pull out our fighters,"
2nd
June: Number of Turkish tourists visiting Israel in 2013, not on
flotillas of course, 24,385.
2nd
June: Jordanian forces on the Iraq Jordan border have been on a
heightened state of alert since June 16th.
Short
Analysis, America’s plan B:
America’s
plan B, or was it plan A all along, is now becoming clear: The
division of Iraq into three autonomous regions. This is primarily to
weaken the Shia block. Following the rebel takeover of Sunni Cities,
this has been brought about by:
Undermining
the security forces of the Iraqi government, by questioning their
credibility and effectiveness and by denying military assistance.
Questioning
the validity of Maliki’s reelection and repeatedly calling for a
unity government. By making Aid conditional on Maliki resigning, they
made it harder for him to do so.
Using
Iraqi Kurdistan as an example to follow, asking the Iraqi government
to be inclusive while exemplifying the autonomy of Iraqi Kurdistan
Support
and encouragement of Sunni politicians looking to break away.
Constantly referring to them as marginalized and excluded.
In
all conflicts, a political solution follows a military one. The
Americans are insisting that a political solution precede the
retaking of Iraqi cities by Baghdad.
They are asking the Iraqi
government to negotiate from a position of weakness and with those
advocating sedition. They never spoke to Saddam in the same way even
after defeating him. This is not just double standard; they seem to
want to create chaos even where there is a possibility for peace.
Martin
Dempsey, Chairman of the Joint Chief of Staff of the Armed Forces has
stated that some of the work carried out by the US military personnel
will be to assess the Iraqi army, its capabilities and
representation: What are they doing?, what is there Composition? Are
they still force that represents all Iraqis?” then.
“When we get
this assessment, We will take decisions on some other types of
support that we can provide…” and finally “the ability to reach
a political reconciliation between the groups, and provide a
comprehensive way to the people of Iraq, will lead to the formation
of an important factor in DETERMINING what we will do in the FUTURE.”
CAUTION:
This next piece is from Info Wars
ISIS
Terrorists Have U.S. Passports
Former
US State Department official Andrew Doran wrote in the conservative
National Review magazine that some ISIS warriors also hold US
passports.
Kerry admits that the US-led invasion of Iraq was a grave mistake
Dan
Welch: [Kerry] is confusing war crimes with so called mistakes. It's
like someone running over your kid and then saying, "Sorry for
the misunderstanding”.
They
knew what they were doing and he was part of the foreign policy
establishment from the beginning; he was on the intelligence
committee. [...] It's a mistake he says. It's actually a crime.
And
people versed in policy and law should know the difference and
apparently Senator Kerry does not.
He
voted for the war; he claims that he was duped into it; the 10
million of us or so, who were not duped into it, who were filling the
streets and saw through the lies were apparently smarter than him at
the time and we're still smarter... If he's so committed to
rectifying what he calls "mistakes", then why does he keep
committing the same thing over and over again, in Libya, in Syria,
and Somalia and Venezuela and Ukraine, over and over again? It wasn't
a mistake. It was a crime.
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