Illustrative image.
Early on January 21, ISIS terrorists attacked a position of the Iraqi military’s 1st Division located to the west of the district of Hawi al-‘Azim in the eastern Iraqi province of Diyala.
The terrorists killed all eleven service members who were manning the highly-fortified position using only assault rifles and hand grenades. Before withdrawing, the terrorists set five vehicles, including two Humvees, on fire, destroyed a thermal surveillance camera and seized some weapons.
Iraqi news sources said that the victims were all from the 2nd infantry Brigade’s 1st Company. The sources identified the victims as:
- Lt. Dergham Loay Muhammad;
- Pvt. Abdullah Daoud Salman;
- Pvt. Razak Wahib Muhammad;
- Pvt. Mustafa Abbas Hassan;
- Pvt. Ahmed Shasi Attia;
- Pvt. Haider Jassan Talak;
- Pvt. Raed Khamis angry;
- Pvt. Hello Kazem Faleh;
- Pvt. Muhammad Ali Mukhtar;
- Pvt. Haider Ali Nouri;
- Pvt. Salem Kazem Mahawi.
Diyala Governor Muthanna al-Tamimi revealed that negligence by the victims allowed ISIS terrorists to carry out the attack.
“The security breach that occurred in the area of Hawi al-‘Azim … unfortunately happened due to the negligence of the soldiers … Because of the very cold weather, they abandoned their duties, and thus ISIS elements attacked the site,” al-Tamimi told the Rudaw network.
Iraqi Prime Minister Mustafa Al-Kadhimi ordered an investigation into the attack and promised to punish ISIS terrorists responsible for it.
This was ISIS deadliest attack in Iraq this year. The attack indicates that ISIS cells in Diayal are trying to expand their operations, likely with support from their comrades in the northern province of Saladin.