Today, Iraqis are celebrating the liberation of Ramadi from ISIS. While the long ordeal of those we serve is long from over, there is reason to have new hope in the new year.
As 2015 comes to a close and we look ahead, we want to take a moment to… Read more
Key Takeaways:
With U.S.-led coalition air support, Iraqi Security Forces (ISF) and tribal fighters are closing in on the Islamic State of Iraq and al-Sham (ISIS) in Ramadi. Taking advantage of the urban terrain, an estimated 200-350 ISIS militants remain holed up in a southern district and the city center.… Read more
As we gather with friends and family this holiday season and prepare to celebrate the New Year, our work in Iraq continues…
At this very moment, EPIC’s Soccer Salam volunteers are in Baghdad preparing to visit two remote villages recently liberated from ISIS. Our team will deliver wool blankets, waterproofing… Read more
Amid relentless violence at the hands of ISIS in Iraq and daily updates to hateful rhetoric being spread here at home, it may seem that no matter how much we care, there is simply nothing we could do that would make any real difference.
But there is. We have seen… Read more
Key Takeaways:
Iraqi Security Forces (ISF) and tribal fighters seized the areas of al-Malaab and al-Dhubat, al-Aramel neighborhood, and the Street 60 area from ISIS in Ramadi. This progress is widely attributed to the increasing numbers of tribal Sunni fighters who are assisting the ISF in this battle. Three more… Read more
Key Takeaways:
Iraqi Security Forces (ISF) in Ramadi cleared al-Matheeq area to the east of the city, and al-Tamim, 8th Shbat, and al-Qadisiyah neighborhoods to the south, of the Islamic State of Iraq and al-Sham (ISIS). ISF forces were also successful in clearing al-Qassim bridge and the Anbar Operations Command… Read more
Key Takeaways:
Iraqi Security Forces (ISF), Popular Mobilization Units (PMU), and tribal forces continued to make slow progress in clearing Ramadi of the Islamic State of Iraq and al-Sham (ISIS). The slow progress can be attributed to ISIS’ use of suicide bombers, snipers, and booby traps, and the ISF’s focus… Read more
Since the escalation of armed conflict in Iraq that began with ISIS seizing territory in Anbar in January 2014, 3.2 million people have fled their homes. As Refugees International reports: "They are living in rented accommodations, unfinished buildings, and makeshift camps, often without adequate food, water, or medical care." We talk with Refugees International's Senior Advocate Daryl Grisgraber about her recent mission to Baghdad and her visits to the southern city of Hilla and a hard-to-reach area in Anbar. Get a firsthand account of the crisis, including untold stories of some of the families most affected and of youth volunteers who are responding to their needs. We then share highlights of our recent briefing with Ahmed Ali, including his views on the fight against ISIS, the challenges facing Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi, and the recent unrest in Iraqi Kurdistan.
Key Takeaways:
In Iraq’s northern province of Salah ad-Din, deadly clashes broke out between a Shia Turkmen Popular Mobilization Unit (PMU) and Iraqi Kurdish Peshmerga with the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (PUK). The incident occurred in the town of Tuz Khurmatu on the main road between Kirkuk and Baghdad. Hundreds… Read more
Key Takeaways:
An Iraqi Kurdish-led offensive aimed at retaking the city of Sinjar has begun. The majority of the offensive is comprised of Peshmerga forces, with thousands of Yazidi fighters supported by International Coalition forces. In August 2014, Islamic State of Iraq and al-Sham (ISIS) captured the city of Sinjar,… Read more
