Iraq: Out of the desert into Mosul (closed)

#IS advances are reported south of #Baiji and in western #Anbar province.
#Iraq

"Wathig el Battat,killed in azim #Iraq by #IS special forces along with his bodyguards" via @Ahmad_alarabi11
pic.twitter.com/ZN7AgxXowJ

Just wrote a short history of Kataib Hezbollah, the Hezbollah Brigades. Was created by the Quds Force in 2007 as a small elite unit to attack the Americans. 2013 went to fight in Syria to support Assad after Iranian request. Is now one of many militias fighting against the insurgency. It's leader Abu Muhandis also acts as Iran's unofficial rep to Iraq. Here's a link.

#Syria | A map of caliphate circulated among #IS supporters, a growing red south #Damascus.

Considering their resistance and territorial growth, it really may become a Sunni nation in 5 years.

It appears that after a massive swarm attack from multiple directions Baiji fell again to the IS--ISF pulled completed out.

#BreakingNews:Following a massive attack this morning in Baiji,all #ISF forces pull out of d city.#IslamicState is in full control of #Baiji

So who is emplacing the GPS trackers?

#Iraq: posters allegedly found in #Nineveh province mosques warn locals of what to look for in a GPS tracking device.

pic.twitter.com/NhQDvCn8t6

Well worth the read as he is the only western journalist that has been together with IS in Syria and Iraq.

http://juergentodenhoefer.de/seven-i...ult-journey/?l... …

(Added) The BBC News report, with a short film by this German reporter:http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-middle-east-30585783

Just released my weekly security report in Iraq. Attacks have gone from 30.1 per day in June & July to 19.6 per day over last few weeks. Deaths in Dec avg. 44.4 per day down from 139.0 in June. Anbar & Salahaddin remain major battlefronts but in rest of Iraq insurgents are retreating and re-grouping resulting in drops in violence. Read the whole report here.

#Iraq #IS sources claim #IS downed a helicopter in #Baiji today. Pic shows wreckage of a IA Bell-407 downed Oct. 8.
pic.twitter.com/EzeYq8xU5U

#IS: "Jaish al-Muhajereen wal ansar and Katiba al-Khadra declare Ba'ya (loyalty) to #IslamicState in #Aleppo #Syria."
pic.twitter.com/U5nkTcl7AC

IS shot down a Jordanian F16 over Aleppo and captured the pilot as well.

Just did a short history of the Abu Fadhl Al-Abbas Brigade. Was one of many militias created by Iran consisting of mostly Iraqi fighters but also some Lebanese Hezbollah elements to support Assad's government. 2014 started sending its fighters to Iraq and is combat throughout the country now. Both are part of Tehran's policy to prop up Damascus and Baghdad and they have become dependent upon it for security support now. Read more here.

Syrian rebels use 9M113 Konkurs ATGM vs. #Assad regime-occupied @UN OGG Position 56

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ct2uca9ibdQ … pic.twitter.com/Kc4OhZIads

Updated: List of groups fielding TOW Missiles

https://hasanmustafas.wordpress.com/...-tow-missiles/ …

Includes 4 new factions, updated social media, added new info etc.

Quite significant that the Islamic Front has abandoned Islamic" and it's now "fully merged" under the Levant Front.

BREAKING: #IslamicState shot down a Drone in #Ishaqi North of #Baghdad
pic.twitter.com/439HN9SPZD

White Jihadi missed uni application and joined ISIS instead'

http://dailym.ai/1x7Ivzp
pic.twitter.com/pNOnyqS0eG emo jihad?

Here a string of news from 2012 possibly related to the work of an Israeli mole within the highest ranks of Hezbollah

pic.twitter.com/cG6xOToCtr or https://twitter.com/search?q=pic.twi...tr%20&src=typd

"Resurgence of the SSNP in #Syria:"
http://www.joshualandis.com/blog/res...-the-conflict/ …
pic.twitter.com/EC1b8BFMqk

#Aleppo Update : For 1 month Regime Tanks are Immobile due to Fuel Shortages, Alternate : Artillery & Human Wave
pic.twitter.com/06He8tQCAI

#Aleppo Update : Captured "Afghans"; we re Recruited 2 Fight 4
#Damascus Shrine(ideological)/#Latakia Mountains(Skill), Not
Plain/Urban Area

Syrian rebels claim to have cut off roads,water and electricity for the city of #Idlib in response to the arrest of students.

Here they are, blocking one road.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=leB_jdMvCmQ …
pic.twitter.com/44JwXHA8Qg

#Map
#ASSAD's crimes yesterday.
More than 100 civilians were killed on the 26th of December by the regime's raids.
pic.twitter.com/CsY4BP1hp1

This was just posted but nothing on the verification side as of yet as it was posted by an IS poster who posts a lot for IS.
https://twitter.com/ARaqqah?original...71264835346432

BREAKING : The Islamic state has a modern anti-aircraft weapons

pic.twitter.com/32QjSx4yxo

Iraq calls on US to arm 100,000 Sunni tribes against IS
http://bit.ly/1HOOtGV

Reporter # Serena Shim killed in #Turkey for reporting on #Erdogans I.S.I.S friends.
pic.twitter.com/MNmUjf0Bfp