After Ezidi resistance fighters had initially succeeded in neutralizing ISIS positions in Zorava, Duhola and Dugure by killing dozens of terrorists, the terrorist organization ISIS has now reinforced its henchmen with fighters from Syria and the region of Anbar.
In an offenisve in northwest of Sinjar the terrorists managed to take temporarily the village Gohbel and surround over 180 Ezidi fighters. According to fighters on the ground, ISIS had surrounded the village with dozens of extremists and numerous armoured Humvee vehicles. With diffculty the fighters were eventually able to break through the circumvallation and rescue themselves by carving out an escape route. The Ezidis complained once again about the lack of heavy, armor-piercing weapons they had asked for to be able to defend themselves effectively from the ISIS attacks.
Both the fighters located at the pilgrimage site Sherfedin and members of the YBS units have not been supplied for a week now. In addition, the proposed advance of Peshmerga troops from Rabia has not taken place. The loss of the village Gohbel which is not far from Sinune in the north of Sinjar signifies another besiegement of the supply line. The Iraqi Air force itself consequently supplied the Ezidi fighters by air with ammunition and weapons – after large parts of a shipment of arms via Erbil had not been redirected to the Ezidis. However, the weapons of the Iraqi forces had been mounted incorrectly, forcing the supplied forces to disassemble and put them together afterwards.
Despite the U.S. airstrikes, the greater part of Sinjar region is still under ISIS control. On October 3 the U.S. Department of Defense announced airstrikes against ISIS terrorists in which merely two ISIS armed vehicles were destroyed. The airstrikes are not only being conducted sporadically but are also ineffective as they do not actively support the Ezidi fighters, complained Haydar Shesho, the commander of the Ezidi defense units.
There were no adequate responses to the intensified ISIS attacks, another fighter from the Sherfedin sanctuary criticized. Only one airstrike would occur in a period of several days.
Above all, the U.S. fighter jets are currently supporting the Peshmerga´s fight in Rabia where a large ISIS unit had been neutralized, the U.S. Department of Defense announced in a statement. Moreover, Kurdish news agencies reported on fierce clashes in the east of the border town.
A real offensive, to support the Ezidi units in battle, is still lacking. Neither the Kurdish government in Erbil nor Baghdad seem to be willing to provide the help which is necessary for the defense and liberation of Sinjar. The offensive announced by the Kurdish President Barzani has not been implemented just as Baghdad´s promised delivery of large quantities of weapons. Previously, Ezidi representatives had met with military personnel in Baghdad.
“We are currently trying to defend ourselves as we are going to ran out of ammunition. Our weapons are obsolete. The U.S. doesn´t attack the terrorists who are in our immediate vicinity. We have nothing to counter ISIS´ tanks. Their fighter jets fly over our heads without supporting us. We won´t be able to defend ourselves if this situation continues. People apparently take the risk of our death”, said an Ezidi fighter of the Qasim Shesho unit on the phone.
ezidiPress
