Iraqi Forces Continue Pursuit of ISIS in Hamrin Mountainshttps://english.aawsat.com/home/article/1678626/iraqi-forces-continue-pursuit-isis-hamrin-mountains
Iraqi Forces Continue Pursuit of ISIS in Hamrin Mountains
An Iraqi soldier looks on as smoke rises from oil wells in the Ajil field east of the city of Tikrit in the Salaheddine province, March 4, 2015. (Reuters)
Iraqi Forces Continue Pursuit of ISIS in Hamrin Mountains
An Iraqi soldier looks on as smoke rises from oil wells in the Ajil field east of the city of Tikrit in the Salaheddine province, March 4, 2015. (Reuters)
Elite Iraqi counter-terrorism forces are continuing their operation to eliminate ISIS positions in the Hamrin Mountains.
The area connects the Diyala province, northeast of Baghdad, to the Salaheddine province, north of the capital. The area is one of the most prominent ISIS hideouts in Iraq after the country declared its victory against the group in late 2017.
The operation was kicked off two days ago and is being led by Abdulwahhab al-Saaedi.
The counter-terrorism apparatus announced Saturday that 12 terrorists have been killed in operation so far.
A spokesman for the apparatus, Sabah al-Numan, said that the operation took more than a month to plan, revealing that it has thwarted ISIS plots against neighboring regions, as well as a plan for it to set up base in Hamrin.
The international coalition has supported the Iraqi forces in their operation, he told a press conference.
“We are determined to eliminate terrorism this year,” he declared.
An Iraqi security source told Asharq Al-Awsat that the operation will extend to other provinces until ISIS is eliminated.
Armed groups expert Dr. Hisham al-Hashemi told Asharq Al-Awsat that ISIS may have lost its control over various regions of Iraq, but it was able to take root in Hamrin where it adjusted to its military defeat and started to regroup.
It is relying on the natural terrain, which is mountainous and dotted with caves, to fortify itself against a military onslaught, he explained.
The Hamrin Mountains has the potential to hold terrorist threats not just against Diyala, Kirkuk and Salaheddine, but the whole of Iraq, he warned.
Confessions by some ISIS captives in Diyala have revealed that the organization is breaking up from the inside and this should be exploited by the Iraqi military and security forces, he urged.
Security expert Fadel Abu Ragheef doubted that the Iraqi authorities would succeed in completely eliminating ISIS in Hamrin given its treacherous terrain.
“They may limit its abilities, but it would be difficult to say that they will eliminate it,” he told Asharq Al-Awsat.
Franjieh Withdraws from Lebanon’s Presidential Race, Backs Army Commanderhttps://english.aawsat.com/arab-world/5099296-franjieh-withdraws-lebanon%E2%80%99s-presidential-race-backs-army-commander
People look at a ballot box displayed inside the parliament building, a day ahead of Lebanon's parliament's attempt to elect a new head of state in downtown Beirut, Lebanon, January 8, 2025. (Reuters)
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Franjieh Withdraws from Lebanon’s Presidential Race, Backs Army Commander
People look at a ballot box displayed inside the parliament building, a day ahead of Lebanon's parliament's attempt to elect a new head of state in downtown Beirut, Lebanon, January 8, 2025. (Reuters)
Head of the Marada Movement Suleiman Franjieh announced on Wednesday that he was withdrawing from Lebanon’s presidential election and backing the candidacy of army commander Joseph Aoun.
Lebanon is holding the much-awaited election on Thursday.
In a post on the X platform, Franjieh said: "Now that the conditions are ripe for the election of a president tomorrow, I am withdrawing my candidacy, which has never been an obstacle in the electoral process."
He added that Aoun "enjoys the qualities that would preserve the standing of the country’s top post."
He hoped "the nation would overcome this stage with unity, diligence and responsibility."
Parliament will try to elect a president on Thursday, with officials seeing better chances of success in a political landscape shaken by Israel's war with Hezbollah and the toppling of the group's ally Bashar al-Assad in neighboring Syria.
The post, reserved for a Maronite Christian in the country's sectarian power-sharing system, has been vacant since Michel Aoun's term ended in October 2022. The former president is not related to army commander Aoun.
None of the political groups in the 128-seat parliament have enough seats to impose their choice, and they have so far been unable to agree on a consensus candidate. The vote marks the first test of Lebanon's power balance since the Iran-backed Shiite group Hezbollah - which propelled its then Christian ally Aoun to the presidency in 2016 - emerged badly pummeled from the war with Israel.
The Lebanese parliament building a day before a session to elect the Lebanese president, in Beirut, Lebanon, 08 January 2025. (EPA)
It takes place against a backdrop of historic change in the wider Middle East, where the Assad-led Syrian state exercised sway over Lebanon for decades, both directly and through allies such as Hezbollah.
Before Franjieh withdrew from the race and reflecting the shifts, Hezbollah and its ally the Shiite Amal Movement led by parliament Speaker Nabih Berri dropped their insistence on Franjieh, their declared candidate for the last two years, and said they are ready to go with a less divisive figure, three senior sources familiar with their thinking said.
Candidates in focus include army commander General Joseph Aoun - said by Lebanese politicians to enjoy US approval - Jihad Azour, a senior International Monetary Fund official who formerly served as finance minister, and Major-General Elias al-Baysari - head of General Security, a state security agency.
Caretaker Prime Minister Najib Mikati said he felt happy because "God willing, tomorrow we will have a new president", according to a statement from his office.
French Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot also expressed hope in comments to France Inter radio, saying the election was "a prerequisite for the continuation of this dynamic of peace" and also for Lebanon's economic and social recovery.
However, two of the sources and an analyst cautioned that it was not yet certain any candidate would be elected. To win, a candidate must secure 86 votes in a first round, or 65 in a second round.
Rice is thrown on Newly-appointed General Joseph Aoun (C) as army commander, upon his arrival at his family's house in Sin El Fil, northeast of Beirut, Lebanon March 8, 2017. (Reuters)
‘National awakening’
Joseph Aoun would still need 86 votes because his election requires a constitutional amendment, as he is a still-serving state employee, Berri has said.
A State Department spokesperson said it was "up to Lebanon to choose its next president, not the United States or any external actor".
"We have been consistent in our efforts to press Lebanon to elect a new president, which we see as important to strengthening Lebanon’s political institutions," the spokesperson said.
Hezbollah official Wafiq Safa said last week there was "no veto" on Aoun. But the sources said Hezbollah, designated a terrorist group by the United States, will not support him.
Aoun has a key role in shoring up the ceasefire brokered by Washington and Paris in November. The terms require the Lebanese military to deploy into south Lebanon as Israeli troops and Hezbollah withdraw forces.
Still reeling from a financial collapse in 2019, Lebanon desperately needs foreign aid to rebuild. Much of the damage is in Shiite majority areas.
Hezbollah, its supply line to Iran severed by Assad's ousting, has urged Arab and international support for Lebanon.
Lebanon's Maronite Bishops called on lawmakers to elect a president, urging a "national awakening".
