(Newswire.net — October 13, 2014) — Despite iminent danger, some military experts believe that ISIS won’t be able to defeat defense forces deployed around the capital even though they expand control on a large territory along the border of Iraq and Syria.
“It’s not plausible at this point to envision ISIL taking control of Baghdad, but they can make Baghdad so miserable that it would threaten the legitimacy of the central government,” Richard Brennan, an Iraq expert with RAND Corporation and former Department of Defense policymaker told The Associated Press.
The officials say that the Islamic militants have reportedly infiltrated the Baghdad suburb of Abu Ghraib, in the vicinity of Baghdad’s international airport. That is especially worrisome, because IS have ground to air missile shoulder launchers which could allow the militants to shut down the airport and break down food, personnel and other significant supplies.
While security forces fight to hold onto the town of Jurf al-Sukr, Islamic State group fighters seized the towns of Hit and neighboring Kubaisa, sending Iraqi soldiers fleeing and leaving a nearby military base with its stockpile of weapons at risk of capture.
Islamic State group claimed responsibility for a number of attacks in the city. In August, the group attacked a Shiite mosque in New Baghdad, and another in the Shiite-majority district of Utaifiya in Baghdad, killing 26 people. Some attacks go unclaimed, which raise fears that other groups may be involved.
However, there is no imminent threat since “Iraqi military continues to maintain firm control of the city,” said Saturday US Central Command Spokesman Col. Patrick Ryder.
“While there are pockets of ISIL in the vicinity of Baghdad, (Iraqi security forces) continue to conduct operations to engage these elements and push back with the support of U.S. airstrikes when necessary,” Ryder said.
Already, Shiite militias back up government forces in Baghdad and elsewhere in Iraq. Such militias, like Iran-supported Asaib Ahl al-Haq and Muqtada al-Sadr’s Mahdi Army, are not bound by rules of war but “share one thing in common: Neither is bound by the Geneva Conventions.” said David L. Phillips, the director of the Peace-building and Rights Program at Columbia University.
“Challenging them likely would become a bloody slog for the IS group.” he said.