In this file photo, a member of the Iraqi counter-terrorism forces walks by Daesh weapons factory in Fallujah, Iraq. (By Reuters)
Recent findings have revealed that the Takfiri Daesh terrorist group in Iraq is manufacturing weapons on an industrial scale, with products largely purchased in bulk from Turkey.
The London-based Conflict Armaments Research reported on Wednesday that Daesh has maintained a “robust and reliable” supply chain between Turkey and Iraq, enabling its members to produce tens of thousands of weapons in and around the northern city of Mosul.
The arms research group’s executive director James Bevan warned that the highly-trained terrorists could take their expertise with them as they are retreating in the wave of an Iraqi battle to liberate Mosul.
Bevan further said he believes Daesh has already moved its experienced bomb-makers out of Mosul and into northern Syria as well as southern Turkey.
“They place a very high value on technical capacity and they will do everything they can to preserve it,” he said.
Bevan went on to say that Daesh Takfiris highly rely on Turkey concerning the acquisition of bomb-making materials, noting that their demand exceeds the available level in Iraq.
Daesh on the defensive in Mosul
On Tuesday, fighters from the Popular Mobilization Units, commonly known as Hashd al-Sha’abi, destroyed four vehicles rigged with explosives as they were heading towards government troops in al-Sharayeh village west of the city of Tal Afar.
The vehicles reportedly had the national Iraqi flags on to mislead army soldiers.
Additionally, Iraqi volunteer fighters thwarted a Daesh offensive against Tal Aziz village west of Tal Afar, killing 10 militants. A pickup truck equipped with a 14.5mm heavy machine gun was destroyed in the process as well.
Iraq’s Joint Operations Command, citing commander of Nineveh Liberation Operation Lieutenant General Abdul Amir Yarallah, announced on Tuesday that security forces had wrested control over Hanoudah al-Kurd, Aziz Agha, Tal Aksa’, Northern Tal Sanam and Southern Tal Sanam villages west of Tal Afar, and hoisted the Iraqi flag over them.
Scores of Daesh militants were killed and large amounts of their munitions destroyed during the fierce clashes.
Iraqi counter-terrorism forces also retook al-Fallah al-Oula and Fallah al-Thaniyah neighborhoods on the eastern outskirts of Mosul from Daesh extremists.
Separately, Hashd al-Sha’abi fighters recaptured al-Khuwaitlah village plus the towns of Ashwah and Hossein Jom’ah west of Mosul.
On October 17, Iraqi army soldiers and allied forces launched a joint operation to retake Mosul from Daesh terrorists.
The Iraqi forces’ advance has, however, been slowed down due to the presence of hundreds of thousands of civilians, many of whom are prevented from leaving Mosul by Daesh.
Daesh has also increased its terror activities elsewhere across Iraqi in revenge for its losses in Mosul.
A senior Iraqi police official said Wednesday that Daesh terrorists have executed 28 people in the northern province of Kirkuk on charges of charges of cooperation with army forces and Kurdish Peshmerga fighters.
Brigadier General Sarhad Qadir, Kirkuk’s provincial police chief, told al-Sumaria television network on Wednesday that the victims were killed in an area of Hawija district using heavy machine guns.