ISIS Tries To Grab Its Own Air Force -- Eli Lake & Josh Rogin, Daily Beast
In its march to Baghdad, ISIS seized the heavy weapons of a modern army. Now, the jihadists are attacking Iraq’s biggest air base – and could soon be able to attack from the sky.
The Islamic State of Iraq and al-Sham is threatening to take control of Balad Airbase, Iraq’s largest airfield and one of America’s most important military outposts during its occupation of the country.
Today, Balad still has plenty of vehicles and aircraft on the base that any terrorist group would covet, including Russian-made transport helicopters, surveillance planes, and a fleet of pickup trucks fitted with heavy machine guns.
Now, that airbase is coming under fire—and is in danger of falling into the hands of ISIS, according to U.S. intelligence officers, internal reports from Balad, and outside analysts. Reuters reported Wednesday that the base was now surrounded on three sides by insurgents and taking heavy mortar fire.
Read more ....
Update #1: ISIS Building Air Force, Moving Closer to Key Air Bases -- Newsmax
My Comment: Reports are coming in that parts of the air base are now being occupied by ISIS militants. If true .... this is a disaster for the Iraqi government, and a huge and important strategic victory for ISIS. One can only imagine the huge amount of heavy weaponry that ISIS will be able to gain from such a victory .... they will literally obtain billions of dollars of American equipment and weaponry .... and a good chunk of Iraq's air force to boot. I can now also say that the fall of this air base will be the end of the Iraqi military as an effective fighting force .... I have trouble seeing how they can recover from such a loss.
Update #2: The news keeps on getting worse .... it appears that another major Iraqi air base (Camp Anaconda) has fallen to the militants .... Iraq Isis Crisis: Sunni Islamists Attack 'Camp Anaconda' Airbase -- IBTines
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