“Even though Iraqi forces have managed to drive ISIS jihadists out of the center of Ramadi, local tribal leaders said this week that ISIS still controls as much as 25% of the city, and significant pockets of ISIS resistance remain.” Control of Ramadi is key to control of Iraq. The outcome is not yet clear, despite the Iraqi army’s claim that the city is liberated.
“ISIS suicide bombers attack Iraqi forces at base near Ramadi,” by Pat St.Claire, CNN, January 2, 2016:
(CNN)Three Iraqi soldiers were killed and 17 wounded Friday when ISIS militants, driving 10 vehicles packed with explosives, attacked an Iraqi army base near Ramadi.
The head of the Anbar Provincial Council, Sabah Al-Karhut, told CNN the attacks happened in quick succession. He said the 10 vehicles targeted the Iraqi army’s 10th Division base northeast of Ramadi.
Even though Iraqi forces have managed to drive ISIS jihadists out of the center of Ramadi, local tribal leaders said this week that ISIS still controls as much as 25% of the city, and significant pockets of ISIS resistance remain.
Still, Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi visited the bombed-out city this week, raising the Iraqi flag and declaring that 2016 “will be the year we drive ISIS out of Iraq.”…
Well, al-Abadi, I hope you pull it off. But it seems more likely that this prediction will go the way of the Nigerian military’s prediction that it would destroy Boko Haram by December 2015.