Liberation of Jurf Al Sakhar
{{Short description|2014 siege in Iraq}}
{{Infobox military conflict
| conflict = Liberation of Jurf Al-Sakhar
| partof = War in Iraq and
the Iranian-led intervention in Iraq (2014–present)
| image = Babil map.svg
| caption = Map of the Babil Governorate, where Jurf Al Sakhar is located
| date = 24–26 October 2014
({{Age in months, weeks and days|month1=10|day1=24|year1=2014|month2=10|day2=26|year2=2014}})
| place = Jurf Al Sakhar, Babil Governorate, Iraq
| coordinates =
| map_type =
| map_relief =
| latitude =
| longitude =
| map_size =
| map_marksize =
| map_caption =
| map_label =
| territory = The Babil Governorate is liberated from IS control
| result = Iraqi-Iranian victory
| status =
| combatants_header =
| combatant1 = {{flag|Iraq}}
- Iraqi Security Forces
- {{flagicon image|Shiism arabic blue.svg}} Shia militias
{{flagicon|Iran}} Iran
{{flagicon image|InfoboxHez.PNG}} Hezbollah{{cite web|url=http://bigstory.ap.org/article/b9608f80a3c743ba81373a6eaceb7f13/iran-general-said-mastermind-iraq-ground-war|title=Iran general said to mastermind Iraq ground war|work=The Big Story|access-date=7 November 2014|archive-date=10 October 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171010053606/https://apnews.com/b9608f80a3c743ba81373a6eaceb7f13/iran-general-said-mastermind-iraq-ground-war|url-status=dead}}
| combatant2 = {{flagicon|Islamic State}} Islamic State
| commander1 = {{nowrap|{{flagicon image|Badr Organization Flag.png}} Hadi al-Amiri}}
{{nowrap|{{flagicon|Iran}} Maj. Gen. Qasem Soleimani}}
{{nowrap|{{flagicon|Iran}} Brig. Gen. Hamid Taqavi{{cite web|url=http://en.mehrnews.com/detail/News/105392|title=Iraq owes many victories against ISIL to Iran: Hadi al-Ameri|date=January 6, 2015|publisher=Mehr News Agency|access-date=January 9, 2015}}}}
| commander2 = Unknown
| units1 = * Iraqi Security Forces
- {{flagicon image|Iraqi Ground Forces Flag.svg}} Army
- {{flagicon image|Flag of the Iraqi Air Force.svg}} Air Force
- {{flagicon image|Iraqi Federal Police Flag.svg}} Federal Police
- {{flagicon image|Shiism arabic blue.svg}} Shia militias
- {{flagicon image|Asb.png}} Asa'ib Ahl al-Haq
- {{flagicon image|Badr Organization Flag.png}} Badr Brigades
- {{flagicon image|Kata'ib Hezbollah sans logo.JPG}} Kata'ib Hezbollah
- {{flagicon image|Kata'ib Jund al-Imam Flag.png}} Kata'ib Jund al-Imam{{Cite web |date=2023-08-12 |title=Sept. 10 deadline set for Iraqi IDPs to return home |url=https://www.kurdistan24.net/en/story/32250-Sept.-10-deadline-set-for-Iraqi-IDPs-to-return-ho |access-date=2023-10-09 |website=Kurdistan 24}}
- Other unnamed groups
- {{flagicon image|Flag of the Army of the Guardians of the Islamic Revolution.svg}} Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps
- {{flagicon image|Flag of Quds Force.svg}} {{flagicon image|Flag of the Quds Force.svg}} Quds Force
| units2 = * {{flagicon|Islamic State}} Military of the Islamic State
| strength1 = Iraqi Army & Shiite militia: 7,000{{cite web|url=https://nypost.com/2014/11/05/mysterious-iranian-general-leads-iraqs-military-to-victory-over-isis/|title=Mysterious Iranian general fights ISIS in Iraq|date=5 November 2014}}
Unknown number of others
| strength2 = Unknown
| casualties1 = Unknown
| casualties2 = 498 killed
100+ IEDs defused
| campaignbox = {{Campaignbox Iraq War (2014–present)}}
}}
Liberation of Jurf Al Sakhar, codenamed Operation Ashura ({{langx|ar|عملية عاشوراء}}), was a two-day military operation by Iraqi government forces and Iranian-backed PMU forces beginning on 24 October 2014, aimed at retaking the strategic city of Jurf Al Sakhar near Baghdad from IS.{{cite web|url=http://www.iraqinews.com/iraq-war/urgent-iraqi-army-forces-take-control-jurf-al-sakhar-alroieih-babylon/|title=URGENT: Iraqi Army forces take control over Jurf Al-Sakhar and Alroieih, Babylon|date=25 October 2014}}{{cite web |url=http://www.aletejahtv.net/en/news/iraq_news-y9lJpIWnf02cjKPOAKsOpA/operation-ashura-flushing-out-is-miltants |title=Al Etejah | News | Operation Ashura launched ahead of Muharram |access-date=2015-02-14 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://archive.today/20141025142654/http://www.aletejahtv.net/en/news/iraq_news-y9lJpIWnf02cjKPOAKsOpA/operation-ashura-flushing-out-is-miltants |archive-date=2014-10-25 }} Accessed on 25-10-2014
The operation was mainly aimed at preventing IS militants from reaching the holy cities of Karbala and Najaf, where IS threatened to carry out attacks against the millions of Shia visitors commemorating the Day of Ashura.
Background
Jurf Al Sakhar is a strategic town 50 kilometres south of the Iraqi capital. It is part of a predominantly Sunni ribbon that runs just south of Baghdad.
In 2014 Jurf Al Sakhar was captured by the Islamic State terrorist organization.
The town lies on a road usually taken by millions of Shia Muslim pilgrims who will be heading in droves to the holy Shia city of Karbala in the Day of Ashura in the holy month of Muharram in order to commemorate the death of Muhammad's grandson, Imam Hussein—one of the most revered figures in Shiite Islam. The Islamic State, which considers Shias apostates, was expected to attempt to target the observances.{{cite web|url=http://www.cbc.ca/news/world/iraq-soldiers-retake-jurf-al-sakhar-town-held-by-isis-1.2813697|title=Iraq soldiers retake Jurf al-Sakhar, town held by ISIS|publisher=CBC|date=26 October 2014}}
According to Iraqi security officials, Jurf Al Sakhar "presents a specific danger to Karbala" and clearing the area is a key priority ahead of Ashura.
Five car bombings in the holy city of Karbala in the week preceding the operation added to its urgency.
{{See also|2004 Ashura bombings in Iraq}}
Operation
On 24 October 2014 the operation was launched in the area by the Iraqi government forces and Iranian-backed Shia militias and volunteers caused the liberation of the city.[https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/iraqi-forces-press-to-secure-shiite-south-ahead-of-religious-festival/2014/10/25/0b6ac5f0-6e1e-47f4-ab8d-a942c3606506_story.html Iraqi forces press to secure Shiite south ahead of Ashura religious commemorations] Washington Posthttp://en.alforatnews.com/modules/news/article.php?storyid=12454 {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190610234502/http://en.alforatnews.com/modules/news/article.php?storyid=12454 |date=2019-06-10 }} Accessed on 25-10-2014
Badr Brigade commander Hadi al-Amiri claimed to have led the operation in tandem with the country's new interior minister, who is a member of his party. Unverified pictures circulated online showed Hadi al-Amiri with Qasem Soleimani, the commander of Iran's elite Quds Force, during the operation. An Iraqi security official and a militia fighter also claimed that Soleimani was present on the battlefield. There have been claims about presence of Iranian forces in the operation. According to a commander of the Shia militia group Kata'ib Hezbollah, there were no Iranian forces, "but if there was a presence of some individuals, it was all officially coordinated".
A commander said that Suleimani planned the operation "three months ago".
According to Iraqi security officials, 498 IS militants were killed during the operation. 35 of whom were from Saudi Arabia, 30 from Chechnya, and 24 from Syria. 60 of them were snipers or gunman and 29 others were suicide bombers.{{cite web|url=http://www.iraqinews.com/features/isil-terrorists-killed-in-jurf-al-sakhar-military-operation-sources/|title=498 ISIS terrorists killed in Jurf al-Sakhar military operation|work=Iraq news, the latest Iraq news|date=26 October 2014}}{{cite web|url=http://www.abna.ir/english/service/middle-east-west-asia/archive/2014/10/26/646939/story.html|title=Iraqi Forces Kill about 500 ISIL Terrorists in Jurf Al-Sakhar|date=26 October 2014}}
On 29 October the Babil Government decided to lock the whole of Jurf Al Sakhar down to the area's displaced people for 8 months, so that to remove the numerous IEDs and clear the houses from bombs that has been placed by IS.{{cite web |url=http://awaniq.com/ar/news/11618/ |title=حكومة بابل تقرر اغلاق ناحية جرف الصخر لمدة 8 اشهر لـ"تطهيرها" من العبوات الناسفة |access-date=2017-01-31 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141030121631/http://awaniq.com/ar/news/11618/ |archive-date=2014-10-30 }} Accessed on 30-10-2014
Some 100 explosive devices, left by insurgents as they retreated from Jurf al-Sakhar region, were defused and detonated by Iraqi forces.{{cite web|url=http://shiawaves.com/english/islam/466-iraqi-army-recaptures-jurf-al-sakhar-and-defuses-more-than-100-ieds|title=Iraqi army recaptures Jurf al-Sakhar and defuses more than 100 IEDs|date=28 October 2014|access-date=7 November 2014}}
Babylon Provincial Council announced that the name of Jurf al-Sakhar ({{lang|ar|جرف الصخر}}, meaning "rocky bank") was changed into Jurf al-Nasr ({{lang|ar|جرف النصر}}, meaning "victory bank").{{cite web|url=http://shiawaves.com/english/islam/497-iraqi-soldiers-set-up-first-husseini-procession-in-jurf-al-sakhar|title=Iraqi soldiers set up first Husseini procession in Jurf al-Sakhar|date=November 2014|access-date=7 November 2014}}
Reactions
- {{flag|Iraq}} – Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi praised Iraq's "hero forces" for delivering a "fatal blow" against the Islamic State.{{cite news|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/iraqi-forces-press-to-secure-shiite-south-ahead-of-religious-festival/2014/10/25/0b6ac5f0-6e1e-47f4-ab8d-a942c3606506_story.html|title=Iraqi forces press to secure Shiite south ahead of Ashura religious commemorations|newspaper=Washington Post}}
- {{flag|Iran}} – Deputy Foreign Minister for Afro-Arab Affairs Hossein Amirabdollahian congratulated the "Iraqi government and nation on liberation of Jurf Al Sakhar region".{{cite web|url=http://www.irna.ir/en/News/2772613/|title=Iran congratulates Iraq for liberation of Jurf Al Sakhar region|date=28 October 2014}}
In media
On 5 March 2015, Iranian TV channel IRIB 1 broadcast a documentary titled Jurf Al Sakhar ({{langx|fa|جرف الصخر}}), directed by Morteza Shaabani and filmed by Mostafa Seyfi during the Operation Ashura, depicting the Iranian-backed Shia militia fighting IS and liberating the Jurf Al Sakhar region.{{cite web | url=http://www.mehrnews.com/news/2421919/مستند-آزادسازی-جرف-الصخر-به-پخش-می-رسد-تصاویری-از-مبارزه-با | title=مستند آزادسازی جرف الصخر به پخش میرسد/ تصاویری از مبارزه با داعش | date=16 November 2014 }}{{Cite web |url=http://www.dana.ir/News/258265.html |title=مستند جرف الصخر+فیلم |access-date=2015-03-05 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150307021717/http://www.dana.ir/News/258265.html |archive-date=2015-03-07 |url-status=dead }}
References
{{Reflist}}
{{2014 military intervention against ISIS}}
{{coord missing|Iraq}}
Category:Military operations of the Iraqi Civil War in 2014
Category:Military operations of the War in Iraq (2013–2017) involving Quds Force
Category:Military operations of the War in Iraq (2013–2017) involving Hezbollah
Category:Baghdad during the War in Iraq (2013–2017)