Iraq crisis: Grand Ayatollah Ali al-Sistani calls for united front to expel ISIS insurgents as fighting continues

Updated

Iraq's most senior Shiite cleric, Grand Ayatollah Ali al-Sistani, has urged both Shiites and Sunnis to unite and expel insurgents as they continue their drive towards the capital Baghdad.

Grand Ayatollah Sistani has already urged Iraqis to join the Shiite-dominated government's security forces, but he has now warned that the Sunni extremists from the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS) must be expelled from Iraq before it is too late.

It comes as Iraqi forces massed north of the capital on Friday, and the US confirmed that Iran has sent "small numbers" of operatives into Iraq to bolster the government in Baghdad.

In a speech read by an aide, the reclusive octogenarian, who rarely leaves home, urged for a united front against ISIS and called on the country's politicians to soon convene the newly elected parliament so the process of forming the government could begin.

"If fighting and dislodging them is not done today, all will feel sorry tomorrow," he said.

Middle East correspondent Matt Brown in Iraq: Grand Ayatollah Ali al-Sistani has said that first of all, it's important for Iraqis to fight the Sunni extremist insurgents in ISIS, otherwise it will be too late.



But he's also said that the powers that be in Iraq need to get to it and form a government.



They had national elections in April, albeit not in all of the country - notably in the Sunni areas that rose up at the start of this year to the west of Baghdad.



He's saying those results have been certified by the Supreme Court now and they need to get on and form a government.



And importantly in the context of this very bitter sectarian war that's developing, he has said that the new government needs to be open to the dialogue that will be accepted by most and avoid the mistakes of the past.



Listen to Matt Brown's report from Erbil in northern Iraq Grand Ayatollah Ali al-Sistani has said that first of all, it's important for Iraqis to fight the Sunni extremist insurgents in ISIS, otherwise it will be too late.But he's also said that the powers that be in Iraq need to get to it and form a government.They had national elections in April, albeit not in all of the country - notably in the Sunni areas that rose up at the start of this year to the west of Baghdad.He's saying those results have been certified by the Supreme Court now and they need to get on and form a government.And importantly in the context of this very bitter sectarian war that's developing, he has said that the new government needs to be open to the dialogue that will be accepted by most and avoid the mistakes of the past.

The Grand Ayatollah also urged Iraq's leaders to be open to dialogue and avoid past mistakes, a possible reference to criticism that the prime minister, Nouri al-Maliki, has failed to reach out enough to Sunnis.

Both the United States and the UN have warned that military action against ISIS could be futile unless there is also a political solution.

US president Barack Obama has announced he will send up to 300 US military advisers to Iraq but stopped short of ordering air strikes against ISIS forces, though he left the door open to that possibility.

Mr Obama also renewed a call for Mr Maliki to do more to overcome sectarian divisions that have fuelled resentment among the Sunni minority, although he stopped short of saying the prime minister should be replaced.

In office since 2006, Mr Maliki has disappointed Washington by alienating Sunnis and there has been speculation he may also have lost the confidence of allies in Iran.

Tehran and Washington have both spoken of cooperating with each other after decades of mutual hostility to prevent anti-Western, anti-Shiite zealots controlling swathes of Iraq.

Iran has sent 'small numbers' of operatives into Iraq

Iran has sent "small numbers" of operatives into Iraq to bolster the Shiite-led government, but there is no sign of a large deployment of army units, according to the Pentagon.

The comments by Admiral John Kirby marked the US government's first public confirmation that Iranian operatives had crossed into Iraq.

"There are some Iranian revolutionary operatives in Iraq but I've seen no indication of ground forces or major units," Admiral Kirby told a news conference, apparently referring to Tehran's Quds force, the covert arm of the Revolutionary Guard Corps.

When US troops occupied Iraq between 2003 and 2011, Washington accused Tehran of using the Quds force to support Shiite militias attacking American soldiers.

"Their interference in Iraq is nothing new," Admiral Kirby said.

But the United States and Iran now find themselves sharing a common interest in helping Iraq fend off the ISIS onslaught.

The Pentagon offered no further details on the nature of the Iranians' presence or their operations, amid media reports that Tehran had launched a concerted effort to shore up Iraqi forces.

Western diplomats say Qassem Suleimani, commander of the Quds Force, has travelled to Baghdad to advise Mr Maliki in the crisis.

Iran has previously sent military advisers to Syria to aid President Bashar al-Assad's regime against rebel forces.

Fighting continues as Iraqi forces hold Baiji oil refinery

Meanwhile, fighting continued in pockets across Iraq. Government forces appeared to be still holding out in the sprawling Baiji oil refinery, the country's largest, 100 kilometres north of Samarra, residents said.

At Duluiya, between Samarra and Baghdad, residents said a helicopter strafed and rocketed a number of houses in the early morning, killing a woman. Police said they had been told by the military that the pilot had been given the wrong coordinates.

Fighting flared in Muqdadiya in north-eastern Diyala province, where security forces attacked a swathe of orchards dominated by Sunni militants, and 1,000 civilians fled north for safety, according to a security source.

State television accused the extremists of displacing the Sunnis as a propaganda tool to embarrass the state.

In the area around Samarra, on the main highway 100 kilometres north of Baghdad, which has become a frontline of the battle with the ISIL, the provincial governor, a rare Sunni supporter of Mr Maliki, told cheering troops they would now force ISIS and its allies back.

A source close to Mr Maliki said the government planned to hit back now that it had halted the advance which saw ISIS seize the main northern city of Mosul, capital of Nineveh province, 10 days ago and sweep down along the Sunni-populated Tigris valley toward Baghdad as the US-trained army crumbled.

Governor Abdullah al-Jibouri, whose provincial capital Tikrit was overrun last week, was shown on television on Friday telling soldiers in Ishaqi, just south of Samarra: "Today we are coming in the direction of Tikrit, Sharqat and Nineveh.

"These troops will not stop," he added, saying government forces around Samarra numbered more than 50,000.

This week, the militants' lightning pace has slowed in the area north of the capital, home to Sunnis but also to Shiites fearful of ISIS, which views them as heretics to be wiped out.

The participation of Shiite militias and tens of thousands of new Shiite army volunteers has allowed the Iraqi military to rebound after mass desertions by soldiers last week allowed ISIS to carve out territory where it aims to found an Islamic caliphate straddling the Iraqi-Syrian border.

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Iraq conflict in maps

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Just two years after the withdrawal of US troops, Iraq has again been plunged into sectarian-fuelled violence and chaos.

Terrorist group IS (

The country, which was invaded by a coalition led by the US in 2003, has been riven along religious and ethnic lines for the past decade and faces an uncertain future.

At the heart of the conflict is distrust between the two branches of Islam in the country - Sunni and Shia - a divide replicated throughout the Middle East.

News Online explores the crisis facing the country.

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Originally a splinter group from the Iraq chapter of Al Qaeda, IS has benefited from unrest in Syria and the deep mistrust which Iraq's Sunni minority feels towards the central Shia-dominated government.

Bolstered by support from the Sunni tribal leaders in northern Iraq, and the disbanding of the largely Sunni Saddam-era armed forces, IS entered the conflict in Syria and quickly gained a reputation for brutality and effectiveness.

It used this experience to return to northern Iraq, launching a series of attacks culminating in

IS holds cities and towns right up to the outskirts of Baghdad and currently controls a vast swathe of territory across Iraq and Syria.

While its presence remains largely limited to Iraq and Syria, the ultimate objective is the establishment of an extremist Islamic state across the region, incorporating Syria, Iraq, Jordan, Lebanon, Israel and the Palestinian Territories.

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Despite being backed by billions of dollars in US military aid, the central armed forces of Iraq have proved largely ineffective against ISIS, and have allowed it

IS gained control of Sunni strongholds Fallujah and Ramadi in January, and Abu Ghraib, just 30 kilometres from Baghdad, in April, releasing hundreds of prisoners held there.

The Iraqi government, led by Nouri al-Maliki, has been caught flat-footed by the onslaught, with new intelligence emerging indicating IS has over $2 billion in cash and weaponry.

While Baghdad is unlikely to fall, the conflict is beginning to take on the dimensions of a civil war, as was the case in 2006 before the US troop surge returned a modicum of order to the country.

The Iraqi army has begun a counter-attack aimed at pushing IS back from the capital, but faces the prospect of a largely unsympathetic Sunni population in the IS-occupied areas.

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To the north, Iraq's Kurdish population has

The Kurds have been at loggerheads with the central Iraqi government over the extent of their territorial claims, and there is a strong desire for independence from the rest of Iraq.

The prize for the Kurdish semi-autonomous government is Kirkuk, the historic capital of the Kurds in Iraq, and the area's oil fields, which are among the most lucrative in the country.

While the Maliki government may in the long-term be successful in seeing off the IS threat, it will face a strengthened Kurdish region unwilling to release its gains.

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While pitched battles are being fought outside the capital, in the largely Shia provinces in the south-east of the country there is no major threat to the central government.

This area is home to the most densely populated areas in Iraq, as well as 75 per cent of the country's oil production, and has served to

Over 2.5 million barrels of oil are shipped out of the southern port near Basra every day, and the country's main area of oil exploration to the north is likely to remain in Kurdish hands.

The only major refinery in IS-held areas, situated outside Baiji to the north of Tikrit, remains in government hands.

The main impact the unrest is likely to have on the industry is the continued closure of a major pipeline that can deliver 600,000 barrels of oil per day to Turkey.

The pipeline was sabotaged in March and authorities had hoped to have it repaired shortly before the conflict escalated.

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The conflict raises awkward questions of responsibility for the international community, with the Obama administration and other leaders anxious to avoid returning troops to Iraq.

Despite public denials of culpability,

ISIS's presence in Syria, and grand regional ambitions, also add a new dimension to the Syrian conflict, which is entering its fourth year with no sign of resolution.

US forces have carried out airstrikes against IS targets in northern Iraq as political friends and foes criticise president Barack Obama's decision to limit American action in the country.

US military aircraft also dropped relief supplies to up to 50,000 Yazidis who gathered on Mount Sinjar, seeking shelter from the insurgents.

Whatever is decided internationally, the future looks bleak for Iraq as a nation, as calls grow for the country to split into three along ethnic lines.

Just two years after the withdrawal of US troops, Iraq has again been plunged into sectarian-fuelled violence and chaos.Terrorist group IS ( Islamic State ) has routed the Iraqi army in the north of the country and seized the country's second largest city.The country, which was invaded by a coalition led by the US in 2003, has been riven along religious and ethnic lines for the past decade and faces an uncertain future.At the heart of the conflict is distrust between the two branches of Islam in the country - Sunni and Shia - a divide replicated throughout the Middle East.News Online explores the crisis facing the country.Originally a splinter group from the Iraq chapter of Al Qaeda, IS has benefited from unrest in Syria and the deep mistrust which Iraq's Sunni minority feels towards the central Shia-dominated government.Bolstered by support from the Sunni tribal leaders in northern Iraq, and the disbanding of the largely Sunni Saddam-era armed forces, IS entered the conflict in Syria and quickly gained a reputation for brutality and effectiveness.It used this experience to return to northern Iraq, launching a series of attacks culminating in taking the northern hub of Mosul , Iraq's second largest city.IS holds cities and towns right up to the outskirts of Baghdad and currently controls a vast swathe of territory across Iraq and Syria.While its presence remains largely limited to Iraq and Syria, the ultimate objective is the establishment of an extremist Islamic state across the region, incorporating Syria, Iraq, Jordan, Lebanon, Israel and the Palestinian Territories.Despite being backed by billions of dollars in US military aid, the central armed forces of Iraq have proved largely ineffective against ISIS, and have allowed it within a stone's throw of the capital of Baghdad.IS gained control of Sunni strongholds Fallujah and Ramadi in January, and Abu Ghraib, just 30 kilometres from Baghdad, in April, releasing hundreds of prisoners held there.The Iraqi government, led by Nouri al-Maliki, has been caught flat-footed by the onslaught, with new intelligence emerging indicating IS has over $2 billion in cash and weaponry.While Baghdad is unlikely to fall, the conflict is beginning to take on the dimensions of a civil war, as was the case in 2006 before the US troop surge returned a modicum of order to the country.The Iraqi army has begun a counter-attack aimed at pushing IS back from the capital, but faces the prospect of a largely unsympathetic Sunni population in the IS-occupied areas.To the north, Iraq's Kurdish population has seized the opportunity to fill the vacuum left by the Iraqi army, with its militia making advances into IS-held territory.The Kurds have been at loggerheads with the central Iraqi government over the extent of their territorial claims, and there is a strong desire for independence from the rest of Iraq.The prize for the Kurdish semi-autonomous government is Kirkuk, the historic capital of the Kurds in Iraq, and the area's oil fields, which are among the most lucrative in the country.While the Maliki government may in the long-term be successful in seeing off the IS threat, it will face a strengthened Kurdish region unwilling to release its gains.While pitched battles are being fought outside the capital, in the largely Shia provinces in the south-east of the country there is no major threat to the central government.This area is home to the most densely populated areas in Iraq, as well as 75 per cent of the country's oil production, and has served to minimise the impact of the conflict on global oil markets.Over 2.5 million barrels of oil are shipped out of the southern port near Basra every day, and the country's main area of oil exploration to the north is likely to remain in Kurdish hands.The only major refinery in IS-held areas, situated outside Baiji to the north of Tikrit, remains in government hands.The main impact the unrest is likely to have on the industry is the continued closure of a major pipeline that can deliver 600,000 barrels of oil per day to Turkey.The pipeline was sabotaged in March and authorities had hoped to have it repaired shortly before the conflict escalated.The conflict raises awkward questions of responsibility for the international community, with the Obama administration and other leaders anxious to avoid returning troops to Iraq.Despite public denials of culpability, notably from former British prime minister Tony Blair , it is widely accepted that the seeds of the conflict were sewn during the 2003 invasion and the occupation which followed.ISIS's presence in Syria, and grand regional ambitions, also add a new dimension to the Syrian conflict, which is entering its fourth year with no sign of resolution.US forces have carried out airstrikes against IS targets in northern Iraq as political friends and foes criticise president Barack Obama's decision to limit American action in the country.US military aircraft also dropped relief supplies to up to 50,000 Yazidis who gathered on Mount Sinjar, seeking shelter from the insurgents.Whatever is decided internationally, the future looks bleak for Iraq as a nation, as calls grow for the country to split into three along ethnic lines.

ABC/Reuters

Topics: unrest-conflict-and-war, world-politics, government-and-politics, terrorism, islam, religion-and-beliefs, iraq, iran-islamic-republic-of, united-states

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