There may be no more than 500 ISIS fighters left in Iraq, a senior Iraqi general has said.
Gen Qais Al Mohamadawi said on Sunday that the group was confined to remote desert areas and struggling to attract recruits, a far cry from its peak when it controlled areas that were home to 10 million people across Iraq and Syria, and drew on adherents from at least 85 countries.
“According to information from intelligence agencies, the total number of ISIS members does not exceed 400 to 500 fighters, in three or four provinces,” Gen Al Mohamadawi told a press conference.
ISIS surged across northern Iraq and Syria in 2014, seizing the cities of Raqqa and Deir Ezzor in Syria, and Mosul in northern Iraq.
The group had gradually worn down Iraqi security forces in the preceding two years in Iraq, and rose to dominate a wider anti-government uprising in eastern Syria.
The reign of the group under Abu Bakr Al Baghdadi was characterised by extreme brutality characterised by the sexual slavery of female hostages, acts of genocide committed against the Yazidi minority group and the frequent torture and execution of hostages.
About 200 mass graves linked to ISIS atrocities have been found in northern Iraq following the group’s near total defeat there in 2017.
Estimates of the extremist group's strength have often varied widely. At its peak in 2014, the CIA estimated that ISIS had between 20,000 and 30,000 fighters, while Russia estimated a total force of more than 70,000.
The US military — which makes separate intelligence estimates from the CIA — said in December 2016 that the group had lost 50,000 men, which it said was a “conservative” estimate.
Of the 10,000 ISIS fighters still detained by Kurdish, Iraqi and US forces, about 5,000 are Syrian and 3,000 Iraqi, according to the US military.
With extremists maintaining sleeper cells and hiding among the population, insurgencies of this size can take years or even decades to defeat.
However, the group decided to fight pitched urban battles against a broad US-led coalition of 70 countries, including Iraqi security forces and Kurdish militias in Iraq and Syria.
Some experts said the rationale behind ISIS fighting intense battles — in which it suffered tens of thousands of casualties — instead of staging hit-and-run attacks was to hold on to towns and cities where it could collect tax revenue.
In some cases ISIS groups were surrounded and wiped out in bloody last stands, including the third battle of Fallujah in 2015, a desperate fight for West Mosul in 2017 and their last pitched battle at Baghouz in Syria in 2019.
The UN estimated in a report published last month that ISIS still had “5,000 to 7,000 members and supporters” across Iraq and neighbouring Syria, “roughly half of whom are fighters”.
Gen Al Mohamadawi said the group had “lost its ability to attract new recruits”. He pointed to a February 26 military operation that killed 22 of its fighters and destroyed a “training camp” in Al Anbar province.
The UN report last month said ISIS had been much depleted by “sustained counter-terrorism operations” in both countries.
It said the group still operates cells of about 15 to 30 fighters across Syria and continues “guerrilla warfare tactics” against government forces, other fighters and civilians.
How to apply for a drone permit
- Individuals must register on UAE Drone app or website using their UAE Pass
- Add all their personal details, including name, nationality, passport number, Emiratis ID, email and phone number
- Upload the training certificate from a centre accredited by the GCAA
- Submit their request
What are the regulations?
- Fly it within visual line of sight
- Never over populated areas
- Ensure maximum flying height of 400 feet (122 metres) above ground level is not crossed
- Users must avoid flying over restricted areas listed on the UAE Drone app
- Only fly the drone during the day, and never at night
- Should have a live feed of the drone flight
- Drones must weigh 5 kg or less
Key facilities
- Olympic-size swimming pool with a split bulkhead for multi-use configurations, including water polo and 50m/25m training lanes
- Premier League-standard football pitch
- 400m Olympic running track
- NBA-spec basketball court with auditorium
- 600-seat auditorium
- Spaces for historical and cultural exploration
- An elevated football field that doubles as a helipad
- Specialist robotics and science laboratories
- AR and VR-enabled learning centres
- Disruption Lab and Research Centre for developing entrepreneurial skills
Water waste
In the UAE’s arid climate, small shrubs, bushes and flower beds usually require about six litres of water per square metre, daily. That increases to 12 litres per square metre a day for small trees, and 300 litres for palm trees.
Horticulturists suggest the best time for watering is before 8am or after 6pm, when water won't be dried up by the sun.
A global report published by the Water Resources Institute in August, ranked the UAE 10th out of 164 nations where water supplies are most stretched.
The Emirates is the world’s third largest per capita water consumer after the US and Canada.
Tewellah by Nawal Zoghbi is out now.
If you go...
Fly from Dubai or Abu Dhabi to Chiang Mai in Thailand, via Bangkok, before taking a five-hour bus ride across the Laos border to Huay Xai. The land border crossing at Huay Xai is a well-trodden route, meaning entry is swift, though travellers should be aware of visa requirements for both countries.
Flights from Dubai start at Dh4,000 return with Emirates, while Etihad flights from Abu Dhabi start at Dh2,000. Local buses can be booked in Chiang Mai from around Dh50
Our family matters legal consultant
Name: Dr Hassan Mohsen Elhais
Position: legal consultant with Al Rowaad Advocates and Legal Consultants.
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'Dark Waters'
Directed by: Todd Haynes
Starring: Mark Ruffalo, Anne Hathaway, William Jackson Harper
Rating: ****
PROFILE OF HALAN
Started: November 2017
Founders: Mounir Nakhla, Ahmed Mohsen and Mohamed Aboulnaga
Based: Cairo, Egypt
Sector: transport and logistics
Size: 150 employees
Investment: approximately $8 million
Investors include: Singapore’s Battery Road Digital Holdings, Egypt’s Algebra Ventures, Uber co-founder and former CTO Oscar Salazar
How to help
Send “thenational” to the following numbers or call the hotline on: 0502955999
2289 – Dh10
2252 – Dh 50
6025 – Dh20
6027 – Dh 100
6026 – Dh 200
The Outsider
Stephen King, Penguin
