Baiji mayor blames gov’t for Iraqi military failure

ERBIL, Kurdistan Region — A lack of government military support is behind the failure of Iraqi troops in battling ISIS in the oil-rich city of Baiji, says the city’s mayor.

“Several factors are behind the lack of offensives by military forces. Above all it is the Iraqi government who did not give enough military support to the troops,” Muhammad Mahmud, Baiji’s mayor, told Rudaw on Wednesday.  

“Another reason that made the operation slow is the importance of Baiji as a strategic place ISIS is fighting for at any cost,” he added.

Baiji, located in Salahadin province roughly 210 kilometers (130 miles) north of Baghdad, fell to ISIS in 2014. The city’s oil refinery is said to be the largest in Iraq and vital for the economy. 

The government has claimed victory in Baiji several times in the last year, but ISIS still controls parts of the city. ISIS suicide attacks have halted the advances of Iraqi forces, according to some reports.

Despite the liberation of Tikrit, the capital of Salahadin province, earlier this year a large number of territories, including some parts of Baiji and its oil refineries, are still disputed.

“The fall of Ramadi, the center of Anbar province, had a negative influence on the military situation in Baiji,” Mahmud further said.

ISIS seized control of Ramadi in mid-February, sending Iraqi forces racing out of the city in a major loss despite the support of US-led airstrikes targeting the extremists.