Syria, Iraq and the fight against the IS

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Terrorism

Syria, Iraq and the fight against the IS

The terrorist organization “Islamic state” has had to contend in Syria and more in Iraq, heavy casualties. In support of the civilian population, you can’t. However, some of the trumps in the Hand.

At the end of June it was time for a Good two years, the jihadist organization “Islamic state” (IS) had ruled over the city of Fallujah, West of Baghdad. In the spring of this year, the Iraqi army had prepared the re-conquest of the city. Tighter and tighter she pulled the Ring of the metropolis, in June, they recaptured you. Currently, she is going to draw a circle around Mosul, the city whose conquest was considered in June 2014 as the largest military and at the same time, the symbolic success of the IS.

During the March on Mosul, the army has already initiated a whole series of smaller towns. For the re-conquest of the metropolis, however, most violent fights are to be expected. The special representative of the Federal government for the Middle East, Joachim Rücker, stated in mid-July, up to a million people could be forced by the violence to flee.

Also in Syria the jihadists are in distress. Since the beginning of June, the Syrian army attacked from the IS-held district of the city of Aleppo in the North of the country. It goes without regard to civilians. Even before the shelling of residential areas and hospitals do not shy away. In July alone, the army had attacked the 15 medical care centres. Also residential quarters are under fire.

Preparing for battle: Iraqi soldiers in Mosul

Brutality as a strategy

On civilians, the Regime is doing so, as in the past five years no consideration. Observers assume that it is for the vast majority of war victims is responsible. But on the stage
the IS-terrorists on the death of their victims in a particularly cruel way, and make the appropriate Videos to the Internet

This brutality is on the IS. Since then, it expanded in 2011 in Syria, have taken the jihadists with all its brutality against the civilian population. People were gone all of a sudden; days later she was found dead, some with signs of severe abuse.

By such an approach IS widely used fruit and horror prevented at the same time, however, the people in the dominated areas have developed loyalty to their new rulers. The Sunni Iraqis saw the IS-fighters some years ago as a sort of protective power against the domination of the Shiite-dominated government, proved this expectation already a disappointment.

Displaced: Iraqi civilians flee IS fighters

Little support in the civilian population

This contributes to the domination of the IS is attacked anywhere since, where he, quickly from the inside collapses. However, this does not mean that would put in its place immediately secular forces. Although very large parts, would prefer in Syria, a secular Syria, says Bente Scheller, head of the Beirut office of the Heinrich-Böll-Foundation. “But the stronger the conflict is religion externalized, the more brutal he is discharged, the less we will see of the secular forces.”

For the same reason, is also not to be expected that the secular Sunnis in Iraq will prevail in the foreseeable future. The trenches between the religious groups are too deep, often violent, swept the competition between Sunnis and Shiites in consciousness. Such experiences will not be able to make the secularism so easy to forget.

Again and again, people had criticised rights groups, Shi’ite militias in both Iraq and in Syria because of its crackdown against Sunni civilians. The, writes the news magazine “der Spiegel” in its latest issue, could give the IS still a certain amount of legitimacy. “As long as the murderous air force of Syrian and Russian Jets continue as long as Sunnis live in fear of death before the Shiites could return the IS even after a total loss of his ‘Caliphate’ again,” in the mirror.

In Syria, Bente Scheller, was the Assad Regime still is far from the control of the territory only in the approach to regain. Not even the suburbs of Damascus have Robert by the rebels. “It is not succeed in him, and, although it has massive support from Iran, from Hezbollah, from Russia. How, then, should work after that, the control over the entire country?”

In front of an uncertain situation: a resistance fighter in Aleppo

Farewell to the Confessionalism

In the long term, the challenge is a political one. Both
in Iraq as in Syria, no way is likely to lead past, the denominational rivalry of the population groups to reduce. This can only be done gradually, in a process of years is likely to take. This should put a politico-religious mechanism to Share in the last few years, both the Regime of father and son Assad, as well as the the Iraqi dictator, Saddam Hussein, and after him, also the Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki will have for your purposes.

For Syria, in addition, that the country has a long-term perspective only, without Bashar al-Assad. After years of reckless actions against the civilian population will resign themselves hardly in order to see him more in Power. As long as these prerequisites are not given, will not be immune to both countries against the Flare-up of political and sectarian violence.