Fighting at Iraq’s Baiji oil refinery is ‘flowing in the wrong direction’

Fighting at Iraq’s Baiji oil refinery is ‘flowing in the wrong direction’

Video released by the Islamic State’s ‘Amaq News from the Baiji oil refinery.

Security forces based at the country’s largest oil refinery in Baiji are in danger of losing control of the strategic facility, Iraqi officers and US officials have warned. The Islamic State controls large areas inside the refinery and have besieged the remaining Iraqi troops. The Iraqi military and Iranian-backed Shiite militias are moving towards Baiji in an effort to break the siege.

Iraqi officers have painted a dire picture of the situation inside the refinery. A colonel said that the complex “had been completely surrounded after militants cut all remaining supply routes used by the security forces,” Reuters reported. The Islamic State has mounted several attacks, including suicide bombings, in order to gain significant ground at the facility. The colonel also said that “up to two thirds” of the refinery is under the jihadist group’s control.

A special forces officer interviewed by Reuters also said that several sub-refineries, the northern part of the refinery, and a large portion of the southern part of the complex is under Islamic State control. The jihadist group has pushed so far into the refinery that airstrikes will be difficult to conduct without damaging the facility, according to one Iraqi officer.

The US military has also warned that the situation in Baiji is in danger of spiraling out of control. Yesterday, Pentagon spokesman Colonel Steve Warren told reporters that the fighting is “flowing in the wrong direction,” in favor of the Islamic State.

“It could still turn around. At this point, it’s impossible to predict how it’s going to play out,” Warren stated, according to Reuters.

Islamic State in control of most of the refinery

Reports from the Baiji refinery confirm that the jihadists are in control of large sections of the sprawling complex. At least “200 policemen, soldiers, and elite special forces” are besieged by the Islamic State, Reuters reported. An officer at the scene said that troops are running low on food, water, and ammunition.

Estimates of how much of the complex is under the control of the Islamic State vary.Iraq Oil Report reported last week that the Islamic State may control up to 80 percent of the refinery. This contradicts what an Iraqi official told McClatchy; he claimed that security forces “control more than 60 percent.” An official speaking with Sky News Arabia has estimated that the jihadist group controls around “90 percent.”

Iraqi forces inside Baiji have called for reinforcements in recent days. The Iraqi government in Baghdad is reportedly sending several brigades to relieve the besieged forces.

The Shiite militia group Kata’ib Jund al Imam, which is ideologically aligned with Iran, has also answered the call for reinforcements. The militia has a number of fighters present at the complex. Additionally, in a video published on the group’s Facebook page, the militia highlights some recent battles with the Islamic State in Baiji.

The US military has also been targeting the Islamic State in the area. Yesterday, US Central Command noted that it launch four airstrikes in Baiji that “struck one large and two small ISIL [Islamic State] tactical units, destroying five ISIL fighting positions, eight ISIL structures, six ISIL fuel tanks, three ISIL vehicle-borne improvised explosive devices and an ISIL vehicle.” The Islamic State has continued to advance at the refinery despite US airstrikes.

Jihadists promote successes in Baiji

The Islamic State has seized on its successes at Baiji in its propaganda. In a short video released by ‘Amaq News, the Islamic State’s unofficial news agency, the jihadist group can be seen controlling several areas within the oil refinery complex. Several scenes show the jihadists battling the Iraqi force, which appear to be on the outskirts of the complex. Other scenes show militants walking through the facility while several oil tanks are burning. The Islamic State’s flag is seen flying in various locations.

The Islamic State has released additional material from the battle in recent days. Inone photo set, a Syrian suicide bomber, identified as Abu Majid al Shami, detonated on ISF positions on the outskirts of the refinery. In a second photo set, another Syrian suicide bomber, Abu Khalid al Shami, and a Saudi suicide bomber detonated on Iraqi military positions within the refinery complex.

The Islamic State has also released a photo set detailing its casualties. One fighter who was killed was a Chechen commander, identified as Abu Ibrahim al Shishani, who also used to run a training camp for the Islamic State. Another photo set from last week highlighted heavy firefights between the Islamic State and Iraqi forces at the complex.

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President Erdoğan: Turkey aims to use no external resources for defense systems

President Erdoğan predicts the Turkish defense industry will become completely independent in 2023 by using local and unique designs while defense producers are targeting $25 billion in exports by 2023

President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan said yesterday that Turkey is meeting 54 percent of its defense needs using its own resources. "Our aim is to completely eliminate external dependency on defense equipment supply with ongoing projects and investments until 2023. Our next target in the defense industry will be unique designs," Erdoğan said. Speaking at the opening ceremony of the 12th International Defense Industry Fair (IDEF), sponsored by the Turkish Armed Forces Foundation and held at TÜYAP Fair Convention and Congress Center, Erdoğan said, "There are two Turkish defense companies among the top 100 largest defense industry companies in the world. The production potential of our defense industry has surpassed $5 billion in the last year. With $1 billion in annual research and development expenses, our defense industry has become the industry that marks the most investment in research, development and technology." Turkish defense producers aim to increase exports from $1.6 billion last year to $25 billion by 2023, according to the undersecretary for defense industries. The top export items include aircraft, helicopter parts, engines, armored land vehicles, speed boats, missiles, rockets, launching platforms, light weapons and electronic systems, including transmitters, simulators, sensors and software.

Turkey is currently negotiating a $3.5 billion deal for a long-range air and anti-missile defense system, including local production, with suppliers from China and Europe. Turkey aims to spend around $70 billion on military equipment until 2023. The IDEF 2015 Fair, which has been held every other year since 1993, is expected to bring together more than 400 companies from 32 countries. The fair, which opened on Tuesday, will continue until May 8.

Erdoğan stressed that huge steps were taken in the defense industry during the first period of the Republic by considering the problems faced at the time, but unfortunately ready-made products began being bought from other countries especially after World War II. "Plane factories, shipyards and other facilities were locked down and those needs were supplied from external resources under the umbrella of NATO. The Cyprus interference and fight against terrorism, which has lasted for many years, clearly demonstrated it is necessary to establish our own defense industry. Always being prepared for security is an obligation as long as assailants are in the world," Erdoğan said. Turkey's defense spending was $13.2 billion in 2014, according to the Defense Ministry.

Erdoğan added that even the defense industry projects that he attended in the last two to three years were enough to give an idea about the ground covered in the field. He said: "I attended the opening of the ASELSAN Gölbaşı Campus Radar and Electronic War Technology Center on March 16, 2015. I witnessed the signing ceremony of the TÜRKSAT 6A project in Gebze on December 15, 2014. I also participated in the delivery ceremony of the ATAK helicopter in June 2014. I attended the delivery ceremony of the Büyükada warship, which is the second product of MILGEM projects, in September 2013. And I participated in the roll-out ceremony of our Hürkuş Aircraft in 2012. Besides all of these, works regarding the ALTAY main battle tank is in the final phase. The prototype of the tank is ready and mass production will begin soon. We are also engaging in many projects concerning unmanned aerial vehicles. The ANKA project and Taktik Unmanned Air Vehicle system are in their final phases, and MILGEM's Heybeliada warship came into service. As part of the same project, the building of the Burgazada ship is in process."

Erdoğan stressed nearly 100 military ships and fast patrol boats were built at Turkish shipyards and delivered to Coast Guard Command while the process of designing the national warship was continuing. He also highlighted the next aim in the defense industry was original design. "All of our projects serve this aim. Our ventures in the fields of industry and technology are not limited only to the defense industry. We are engaging in projects on various products ranging from indigenous chip production and indigenously designed automobiles, to high-speed train cars and wind power plants," Erdoğan said, emphasizing Turkey wants to reach a gross national product (GNP) of $2 trillion by 2023, which is now $800 billion. National Defense Minister İsmet Yılmaz said IDEF was the largest in the region and the fifth largest among the defense industry fairs in the world. Stressing the number of countries and defense companies attending the fair increases with each passing year and many protocols and cooperation agreements are signed during the fair, Yılmaz said, "Greater momentum will be gained in bilateral relations with new agreements. I believe IDEF will make huge contributions to the relations between countries.

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