The battle for Iraq and the key protagonists

Washington: As fighters of the Islamic State in Iraq and Levant (Isil) occupy a host of Iraqi cities, other factions are also entering the fray. The conflict has exposed once more Iraq’s troubled sectarian divides. Here’s a primer on some of the key characters in the battle for Iraq.

* Isil: The jihadist group has a fighting force that is probably larger than the 10,000 or so members estimated in most reports. They are well-armed and have boosted their arsenal after looting equipment from Mosul’s main army bases. In every city they overrun, Isil frees hundreds of prison inmates, some of whom may be like-minded militants.

Reports suggested that the ranks of Isil may have grown after collaboration with militias connected to the old Baathist regime of fallen dictator Saddam Hussain; they played a role in Isil’s reported capture of Tikrit, Saddam’s home town. Isil appears to be well-funded, benefiting from the same shadow networks of donors in the Arab world who funded Al Qaida as well as the widespread practice of extortion, kidnapping and other criminal activities.

Iraqi army: The Iraqi army in Mosul wilted in the face of the Isil assault. Despite billions of dollars spent by the United States in training the post-Saddam army, it suffers from poor organisation and morale. Two Iraqi divisions — an estimated 30,000 troops — stationed near Mosul reportedly ran from an initial Isil offensive that may have numbered just 800 men. The divisive rule of the Shiite-dominated government in Baghdad has, in part, been blamed for the hopeless security situation in the country’s Sunni-majority areas. The units that retreated, shorn of uniforms and much of their armaments, will have to reassemble with reinforcements from Baghdad, but that may be difficult, given the number of battles the government is already fighting with Isil around towns nearer to the capital. Iraqi helicopters and fighter jets have struck Isil positions across the country, but the militants are still reportedly been advancing closer to Baghdad.

Kurds: The autonomous government in the Iraqi region of Kurdistan has rallied its own forces, known as the Peshmerga, to combat Isil. Although the Kurds have had an adversarial relationship with Baghdad for quite some time, reports suggest that they are now more closely coordinating efforts to counter Isil. The Peshmerga have long eyed Mosul, which has a significant Kurdish population and lucrative oil fields. They possess some light armoured vehicles as well as artillery and will probably be the key to winning back Mosul. That could in the long run lead to renewed Kurdish claims and further tensions with Baghdad.

Prime Minister Nouri Al Maliki: Iraq’s premier rose to prominence in the wake of the US invasion and, as a leader of a prominent Shiite political party, assembled the government in 2006. He has managed to remain in power since, but presides over a deeply polarised political landscape. Critics accuse Al Maliki’s government of marginalising the country’s Sunnis while strengthening his Shiite political base. As a result, the security situation in predominantly Sunni areas has unravelled to the point that vast stretches of the country have slipped out of Baghdad’s hands.

President Jalal Talabani: The venerable Kurdish politician played a key role in establishing an autonomous Kurdish region in northern Iraq. He has served as Iraq’s President since 2005 and has had a testy relationship with Al Maliki.

Tareq Al Hashemi: Just a day after the official US withdrawal in 2011, Al Maliki’s government issued an arrest warrant for the then-vice-president Al Hashemi, the top Sunni politician at the time in the country. Al Hashemi, accused of crimes related to terrorism, went into hiding. The government plunged into crisis and Iraq’s Sunnis rose up in mass protests against Al Maliki. Al Hashemi was later sentenced to death in absentia and remains a fugitive.

Abu Bakr Al Baghdadi: The Iraqi-born leader of Isil, who has a $10 million (Dh36.72 million) US bounty on his head, has been described as “the new Bin Laden” by Time magazine and, while a deadly ideologue, has managed to assemble an incredibly cohesive, capable outfit that is well-funded and well-armed.

Moqtada Al Sadr: The fiery Shiite cleric, once a thorn in the side of the US’ occupying forces, announced a plan to muster “Peace Brigades,” or Shiite militia charged with protecting communities and shrines vulnerable to the Isil advance. This gives the conflict an even more dangerous and sectarian edge, something the Sunni extremists in Isil probably hoped to achieve.

Turkey: Isil has reportedly captured several Turkish diplomats, as well as other Turks, in Mosul. It raises fears of a growing regional conflagration. Turkey is in an awkward position: Isil fighters in Syria have routinely wound up in hospitals in Turkish border towns, rumoured to be tolerated by Ankara because of their own battles with Kurdish militias in Syria. Renewed protests and unrest in Kurdish towns in Turkey make the situation all the more delicate.

Iran: The Shiite state will look upon developments in Iraq with great concern. Isil is a real foe, and its success in Syria and Iraq is an existential challenge to two staunch allies of Tehran. Iran’s foreign minister on Wednesday promised Baghdad support in its fight against “terrorism.” On Thursday, reports emerged that two battalions of the Quds Force, the overseas wing of Iran’s Revolutionary Guards, were in Iraq, helping the government battle Isil. According to The Wall Street Journal, a combined Iraqi and Iranian force reclaimed parts of the city of Tikrit.

Army of the Men of the Naqshbandi Order: The Naqshbandiya take their name from a Sufi order, but in reality there’s nothing mystical about them. The Sunni jihadist militia counts a number of fighters who were once affiliated with the Baathist regime of toppled dictator Saddam Hussain. They have reportedly collaborated with Isil during its recent march toward Bagdhad.

Asaib Ahl Al Haq: A Shiite militia that was active during Iraq’s sectarian warring in 2006 and 2007, it is mobilising once more, alongside other similar factions, to counter the threat posed by Isil.