Kurdish Peshmerga display antique weapons used against well-equipped Isis fighters on the Bashiq frontline, approximately 18km from Mosul
Kurdish Peshmerga Forces on the Bashiq frontline
A Kurdish Peshmerga soldier holds what he claims is a German Luger from World War 2
A Kurdish Peshmerga soldier standing on the Bashiq frontline against Isis, with Mosul on the horizon
A 63-year-old Peshmerga figher Mamuri Purida at a Kurdish frontline post near Makhmur, 3km from Isis-held territory
Mamuri Purida points to a picture of President Masoud Barzani beside a map of greater Kurdistan at a frontline post near Makhmur
Kurdish Peshmerga driving between outposts on Bashiq frontline
The Isis-held town of Bashiq, northern Iraq, seen from the Kurdish Peshmerga frontline with Mosul on the far horizon
A ruined bus stop on the road to Qayyarah with burning oil wells in the distance
Qayyarah, a town of 15,000 people engulfed in smoke from burning oil wells lit by retreating Isis fighters in August
Photographs from Dublin journalist Ruaidhrí Giblin, who has recently returned from Iraq.
Ruaidhrí spent six weeks reporting on the build-up to the military offensive by Kurdish Peshmerga and Iraqi special forces towards Mosul which is seen as the de-facto capital of Isis.
He toured several frontlines with the Kurds and Iraqi forces.
On Sunday, he will broadcast a report on the Kurdish Peshmerga on RTÉ’s World Report.
Ahead of this, Ruaidhrí writes:
Iraqi Kurds don’t have a country, they have a Regional Government. They don’t have a regular army, they have an irregular militia, whose name the ‘Peshmerga’ literally means those that face death.
They don’t have modern weapons, advanced technology or heavy artillery and often appear in button down shirts and traditional Kurdish trousers.
They’ve gone months without being paid because Iraqi Kurdistan is overwhelmed with two million refugees from Syria and other parts of Iraq.
Yet, they, along with their Syrian counterparts, are the most effective fighting force against Isis since the terror group emerged on their doorstep in 2014.
All they want, they say, is recognition from the world – to be able to put their flag on the international map. The story of the Kurds deserves attention.
World Report is on Sunday at 8am on RTÉ Radio One.
Meanwhile…
Kurdish peshmerga and Iraqi special forces have advanced to within around six miles of the city of Mosul, after launching a major three-pronged attack early on Thursday against dug-in Islamic State militants.
Hundreds of armoured vehicles including tanks and humvees began a large-scale offensive at around 6am local time, the Kurdish peshmerga general command said in a statement. Their target was a series of villages to the north and north-east of Mosul held by Isis fighters.
Iraqi and Kurdish forces close in on Mosul after making quick gains (The Guardian)
Photographs: Ruaidhrí Giblin
The Kurds will get a chunk out of Iraq me thinks.
No they won’t, they will be led down a cul de sac and than sacrificed as per usual by the US
I think they’ll get it, likely with a tinpot ruler hand picked by the US. But it would make long term sense in the area to keep them onside…. not that I am a middle east expert like… :)
“The Kurds will get a chunk out of Iraq me thinks.”
They’ll be used and then dumped on.
Likely, but I do hope.
Lighting the oil wells before legging a hasty retreat is a bit of d**kish thing to do really isn’t it? I realise its quite far down the list d**kish things they have done but still. Its a bit like having a sulk and taking the ball home with you because you got knocked out in the first round of world cup as a kid.
You could call it “doing a Trump”.
Turkey will stop an independent Kurdistan.
Like the way they’re dressed in the height of us military and than handed antique weapons, off you go lads pure canon fodder, erdogan laughing at them
Ah Mosul…You will never find a more wretched hive of scum and villainy…beep beep boop boop whistle
Raqqa?
Oh worked in the the oil biz did you. Well done.
I’m guessing the Kurds don’t have our farcical “triple lock” of requesting permission from a variety of dubious international bodies before defending themselves.
The Kurds are not the homogenous and united group some would like you to believe. They are in Syria, Iraq, Iran and Turkey, mainly and have varying views about what’s best for Kurdish nation, with a majority being against independence, because they can’t agree on what that would look like over the region. Linguistically, socially and culturally there are major differences as well. And of course, Turkey will go to any lengths to prevent an independent Kurdistan.
great photos, thanks for sharing.
Thank jebus we gave away our oil – it seems to attract apocalyptic levels of unimaginable chaos…
Blood sacrifices, equivalent (in armaments terms) to 1916 fighters in Dublin with shotguns and Franco-Prussian War era Howth Rifles against the world’s most advanced army of the time, or to Republic’s fighters in Spanish Civil War, using slings to throw grenades against Franco’s boys armed with the Nazis’ latest weaponry. Poor creatures.
Yeah, Kurds are different from each other, and when they get their Kurdistan, there will almost certainly be their savage civil war, just as in Ireland the socialists who had fought for independence were crushed and driven out by the ultra-Catholic, ultra-conservative Holy God and Mother Ireland crew who ruled the country for the next century, and still rule.
War.
I couldn’t give too flutes as long as it stays in dry dusty places.
The war machine puts plenty of bread on Irish tables whether we want to admit it or not.
The Middle East. Looks mad Ted.
It’s not staying in dry dusty places because those people are tired of that and now bringing home to those who stoke these wars. And I don’t blame them. You would do the same.
Why aren’t they going to Damascus and Moscow so?
Hi Fully Keen. How does the war machine put plenty of bread on Irish tables? (Genuine question.)
Allow me to answer that for you rory.
War = Money for some people. If we turn a blind eye to it we get money, not war..
Money = Bread.
Okay?
Hi sǝɯǝɯʇɐpɐq, I don’t understand your comment. I’m asking how do Irish people profit from war.
Great photos Ruaidhrí, fair play.
excellent photos- well done
I just shudder to think how a President Trump might deal with this…
-But that’s never going to happen, right?
This is a great post. The photos really drew me in, and piqued my interest in a subject I knew little about. Good job Broadsheet.