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Hundreds of Iraqi soldiers missing or stranded after chaotic withdrawal Hundreds of Iraqi soldiers missing or stranded after attack on army camp
(about 4 hours later)
BAGHDAD — Hundreds of Iraqi soldiers were trapped or missing on Sunday following a chaotic retreat from an army base in western Iraq, military officials said, underscoring the ability of Islamic State insurgents to remain on the offensive despite expanded airstrikes from the United States. BAGHDAD — Hundreds of Iraqi soldiers were trapped or missing Sunday after a chaotic retreat from an army base in western Iraq, military officials said, underscoring the ability of Islamic State insurgents to remain on the offensive despite expanded airstrikes by the United States.
At least 820 soldiers were stationed at Saqlawia Camp, north of the insurgent-controlled Iraqi city of Fallujah, when it came under attack from five suicide bombings on Sunday afternoon, said Lt. Col. Ihab Hashem, a deputy commander with the Iraqi Army’s 8th division who was at the camp. Two bombers drove explosives-packed armored vehicles and three others detonated vests, he said. At least 820 soldiers were stationed at Camp Saqlawiyah in Anbar province, north of the insurgent-controlled Iraqi city of Fallujah, when it came under attack from five suicide bombings Sunday afternoon, said Lt. Col. Ihab Hashem, a deputy commander with the Iraqi army’s 8th division who was at the camp. Two bombers drove explosives-packed armored vehicles and three others detonated vests, he said.
Five battalions had been stranded at the base without supplies for six days after Islamic State militants seized a bridge that was the last access route to the camp. Soldiers said they were forced to boil up water from a muddy stream, and were running low on ammunition, when the bombings struck on Sunday. In a statement Sunday night, Iraq’s Defense Ministry confirmed that it had lost contact with some of its “heroic soldiers” during operations in Anbar but did not give numbers. It vowed to continue to “clean every inch of land” of militants.
“We lost control,” Hashem said after crossing Islamic State-controlled territory to another army base. “We couldn’t gather to retreat. Some are dead, others stayed.” Five battalions had been stranded at the base without supplies for six days after Islamic State militants seized a bridge that was the last access route to the camp. Soldiers said they were forced to boil water from a muddy stream and had been running low on ammunition when the bombings occurred.
He said retreating soldiers had abandoned their vehicles and were traversing enemy territory in small platoons in order to avoid detection. “We lost control,” Hashem said after crossing territory controlled by the Islamic State to reach another army base. “We couldn’t gather to retreat. Some are dead, others stayed.”
“Some are still crossing, they are walking through the trees and houses trying to hide from the insurgents.” He said retreating soldiers had abandoned their vehicles and were traversing enemy territory in small platoons.
The Islamic State has carried out mass-executions of Iraqi troops it has caught in the past – including killing what Iraqi officials say were 1,700 soldiers at Camp Speicher near the northern city of Tikrit during the group’s surge forward in June. “Some are still crossing. They are walking through the trees and houses trying to hide from the insurgents.”
The latest advance comes despite stepped-up U.S. airstrikes against militants. France also launched airstrikes against the extremists last week. The Islamic State has carried out mass executions of seized Iraqi troops in the past. Iraqi officials say the group massacred 1,700 soldiers at Camp Speicher near the northern city of Tikrit in June.
Iraqi military officials said U.S. jets gave air support to a failed army effort to reach the stranded soldiers on Sunday morning. However, U.S. Central Command did not announce details of operations in the area. The latest advance comes despite stepped-up U.S. airstrikes against militants. France launched airstrikes against the extremists last week.
Only around 25 percent of the soldiers at Saqlawia, in the western province of Anbar, had managed to reach the safety of the nearby 1st division base at Camp Tariq, Hashem said. Iraqi military officials said U.S. jets gave air support to a failed army effort to reach the stranded soldiers Sunday morning. U.S. Central Command, however, did not announce details of operations in the area.
Only about 25 percent of the soldiers at Saqlawiyah had managed to reach safety at the nearby 1st division base at Camp Tariq, Hashem said.
“The situation is very bad,” said Lt. Col. Abdulwahab al-Saidi, head of counterterrorism operations for Anbar.“The situation is very bad,” said Lt. Col. Abdulwahab al-Saidi, head of counterterrorism operations for Anbar.
One solider who remained at Saqlawia, who declined to give his name because he’s not authorized to speak to the press, said when reached by phone that just 50 or 60 soldiers were left there and were stranded with no vehicles left to use to leave. He put the number of suicide bombings by vehicle at three. A solider who remained at Saqlawiyah, and who spoke on the condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to talk to the news media, said when reached by phone that just 50 or 60 soldiers were still at the camp, stranded with no vehicles. He put the number of suicide bombings by vehicle at three.
“We don’t have enough ammunition here to defend ourselves,” he said. “Maybe we can last a day.”“We don’t have enough ammunition here to defend ourselves,” he said. “Maybe we can last a day.”
Mustafa Salim contributed to this report.Mustafa Salim contributed to this report.