[quote]Kurdish forces in northern Iraq are claiming their biggest victory yet against Islamic State (IS) militants.
They say they have broken the IS siege of Mount Sinjar, where thousands of Yazidis and other displaced Iraqis have been trapped since August.
IS controls a swathe of Iraq and Syria, where it has declared a caliphate.
Meanwhile, the Pentagon's top officer says US air strikes have killed several high-ranking military leaders of IS in Iraq.
The Kurdish offensive against IS forces besieging Mount Sinjar began early on Wednesday with the most intensive round of air strikes yet by US and coalition forces - 45 in all.
On the ground, about 8,000 Kurdish peshmerga fighters launched a two-pronged attack which they said had succeeded in opening a wide corridor to allow members of the Yazidi minority and others to leave.
Masrur Barzani, Chancellor of the Kurdistan Region Security Council, said the operation had been to advance from Zumar - which Kurdish forces recaptured in October - to Mount Sinjar and to rescue the Yazidi people trapped there.
"It was a very big operation and thankfully it was concluded very successfully," he said.
A statement from the Kurdish command said large numbers of militant fighters had fled westwards into Syria or eastwards towards Mosul, which they captured in June.
The BBC's Jim Muir says that if the Kurds have done all they say, it is a significant advance.
But he adds that there is still a long way to go - the town of Sinjar itself, to the south of the mountain, remains in IS hands, as do Mosul and the nearby town of Tal Afar.
IS captured the town of Sinjar in August forcing thousands of residents, mainly from the Yazidi sect, to flee. Many were airlifted off the nearby mountain but thousands more who came later found themselves trapped.[/quote]
[URL="http://www.bbc.com/news/world-middle-east-30539170"]BBC[/URL]
Been reading that this entire operation was so successful there were ISIS fighters surrendering to the Peshmerga as they went through the villages are Zumar,Sinjar, and Tal Afar. IIRC from a twitter post they're preparing to leave Tal Afar as well , along with the breaking of this siege and regaining many villages they also have cut off both the main roads into Mosul.
Some of the bravest soldiers there.
The Kurds have been through some shit, haven't they?
Damn it'd suck being on a mountain for 4 months.
[editline]18th December 2014[/editline]
[QUOTE=ElectricSquid;46746079]The Kurds have been through some shit, haven't they?[/QUOTE]
Is this an actual question or a statement cause if it's a question it doesn't make sense.
[QUOTE=RG4ORDR;46745996]Been reading that this entire operation was so successful there were ISIS fighters surrendering to the Peshmerga as they went through the villages are Zumar,Sinjar, and Tal Afar.[/QUOTE]
ISIS fighters surrender? They don't deserve the luxury. Interrogate the ones that know something and shoot the lot of them afterwards. If they want to throw themselves in the lot with the same people that behead and execute people because they don't believe in the same twisted religious nonsense, they better be prepared for the consequences.
[QUOTE=GiGaBiTe;46746175]ISIS fighters surrender? They don't deserve the luxury. Interrogate the ones that know something and shoot the lot of them afterwards. If they want to throw themselves in the lot with the same people that behead and execute people because they don't believe in the same twisted religious nonsense, they better be prepared for the consequences.[/QUOTE]
Saw a video allegedly surrendered ISIS fighter to YPG and they seemed to take POWs. Probably good to trade for on local level for some of their POWs lost to ISIS.
[QUOTE=GiGaBiTe;46746175]ISIS fighters surrender? They don't deserve the luxury. Interrogate the ones that know something and shoot the lot of them afterwards. If they want to throw themselves in the lot with the same people that behead and execute people because they don't believe in the same twisted religious nonsense, they better be prepared for the consequences.[/QUOTE]
As cool of an idea as that sounds at first, take a moment to consider the possibility that it's behaviors like this that only encourages IS. We've already seen examples of how this kind of tactic works, as displayed by IS itself. Through their acts of cruelty and oppression they've managed to mobilize most of the world against them, and now the Kurds, the people who were originally fighting IS outgunned and outnumbered, but never outmanned are back and going strong as a result of Coalition air support + weaponry.
If the Coalition or the Kurds suddenly started shooting surrendering IS fighters, it would only mobilize more support for IS in areas it already controls, or areas where they are supported. If you allow their fighters to surrender and treat them humanely, even if they do not deserve it, you prove to the population that supports them that you are no monster as IS says you are. On the other hand, if you shoot them all, the population that is fed on IS propaganda will only fight you harder.
It is a choice between giving someone meager shelter and food, or fighting ten more just like the guy who is captured when their family hears that he has become a martyr.
[QUOTE=GiGaBiTe;46746175]ISIS fighters surrender? They don't deserve the luxury. Interrogate the ones that know something and shoot the lot of them afterwards. If they want to throw themselves in the lot with the same people that behead and execute people because they don't believe in the same twisted religious nonsense, they better be prepared for the consequences.[/QUOTE]
Because the wise thing to do is force them to fight to the last man. Obviously.
[QUOTE=GiGaBiTe;46746175]ISIS fighters surrender? They don't deserve the luxury. Interrogate the ones that know something and shoot the lot of them afterwards. If they want to throw themselves in the lot with the same people that behead and execute people because they don't believe in the same twisted religious nonsense, they better be prepared for the consequences.[/QUOTE]
Oh do capture them and actually jail them. Unfortunately if you're the ones in Kobani any information you give will end up with you being shot after a few hours. Also here's a map of the two day offensive:
[thumb]https://pbs.twimg.com/media/B5KSLv6IQAAO3of.png:large[/thumb]
[editline]18th December 2014[/editline]
Said before that there is a report that ISIS is actively fleeing from Tal Afar to Mosul. ISIS is actively giving up Northern Iraq to the Kurds to prepare for a siege by the Kurds and Iraqi's soon. Won't do them much good when the US can knock out their positions in Mosul before trying to recapture the city.
[QUOTE=Aman;46746080]Damn it'd suck being on a mountain for 4 months.
[editline]18th December 2014[/editline]
Is this an actual question or a statement cause if it's a question it doesn't make sense.[/QUOTE]
I have heard that the Kurds have had to put up with a [I]lot[/I] of shit in the past, but I don't know how much. I know they were persecuted by Saddam and are targets of ISIS. So it was kind of a question asking for confirmation.
[QUOTE=Deadman;46746266]As cool of an idea as that sounds at first, take a moment to consider the possibility that it's behaviors like this that only encourages IS. We've already seen examples of how this kind of tactic works, as displayed by IS itself. Through their acts of cruelty and oppression they've managed to mobilize most of the world against them, and now the Kurds, the people who were originally fighting IS outgunned and outnumbered, but never outmanned are back and going strong as a result of Coalition air support + weaponry.
If the Coalition or the Kurds suddenly started shooting surrendering IS fighters, it would only mobilize more support for IS in areas it already controls, or areas where they are supported. If you allow their fighters to surrender and treat them humanely, even if they do not deserve it, you prove to the population that supports them that you are no monster as IS says you are. On the other hand, if you shoot them all, the population that is fed on IS propaganda will only fight you harder.
It is a choice between giving someone meager shelter and food, or fighting ten more just like the guy who is captured when their family hears that he has become a martyr.[/QUOTE]
Also take the moment to consider what happens when you imprison terrorists like these. They're often kept in large camps where they can freely talk to other terrorists and become more radicalized and dangerous. And if they're ever released or escape down the line, they almost always go right back to fighting the same fight or trying to stir shit up elsewhere.
So the guy you be all buddy buddy with today when you capture him can be the same guy tomorrow putting a bullet in your head.
This is exactly what happened to many of the core leaders of ISIS, they were detained in US camps and later released for whatever reason.
I'm going to go with Stalin on this one "No person, no problem."
[QUOTE=Aman;46746203]Saw a video allegedly surrendered ISIS fighter to YPG and they seemed to take POWs. Probably good to trade for on local level for some of their POWs lost to ISIS.[/QUOTE]
Pretty sure ISIS doesnt take prisoners
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