No excuse to delay Hawija offensive, Kirkuk tells Baghdad

 

ERBIL, Kurdistan Region—Kirkuk Governor Najmadin Karim has urged Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi to ramp up efforts and stop delaying the launch of a military offensive to liberate Hawija from Islamic State (ISIS) control.

 

Karim said in a statement late Friday that any more delay in the Hawija offensive “will bring with it more troubles and persecution for the city’s people. We have also in the past asked the Iraqi government for quick liberation of Hawija from ISIS.”

 

Karim also condemned the execution of civilians who were among thousands trying to flee villages around Hawija. The UNHCR reported that 237 families reached safety in Kirkuk but many more were prevented from leaving by ISIS and 12 were killed by the militants.

 

“ISIS terrorists committed another crime, adding it to their disgusting acts after they besieged thousands of civilians and executed a number of them on charges of attempting to flee ISIS-controlled areas in southern and western Kirkuk,” Karim said.

 

He reiterated that if there are no existing reasons to delay the offensive, then “the government should immediately make plans to clear Hawija of ISIS militants.”

 

Peshmerga officials recently revealed that plans were being developed for an offensive to rout ISIS from Hawija and its vicinity.

 

“ISIS in Hawija is a threat to Kirkuk and Kurdistan,” Sheikh Jaafar Mustafa, commander of the Peshmerga 70 army, told Rudaw in May.

 

The Hawija offensive has, however, been delayed because of Sunni-Shiite rivalries. Shiite militias have insisted that they should participate in any offensive that might be launched on Hawija. While Sunnis say that in previous battles where the Shiite militias were involved, they have committed war crimes against Sunni populations.

 

The operation to recapture areas south and west of Kirkuk including Hawija, Ryaz and Rashad from ISIS was suspended last month for the third time by Sunni Arab groups in the Kirkuk Provincial Council.

 

They said they want Peshmerga and Sunni Arab forces to take part in the operation without the participation of Shiite militia forces, known as the Hashd al-Shaabi.

 

“Our political entities, tribes and organizations do not want Hashd al-Shaabi taking part in the Hawija battle. The power of the Peshmerga forces is enough to capture the occupied areas,” Rakan Saeed, head of the Iraqi Arab Republicans, told Rudaw.

 

Hawija is considered one of ISIS’ main strongholds in Iraq where many of the group’s leaders and former Baathist affiliates are based.

 

Kurdish forces have in the last year and a half captured three small towns and more than 40 villages from ISIS in the area.

 

Rashad, Riyadh and more than 10 villages need to be cleared of ISIS before the forces can reach Hawija proper.