View allAll Photos Tagged Daesh
An Iraqi air force helicopter flies over Qayyarah West Airfield, Iraq, Nov. 18, 2016. (U.S. Air Force photo by Senior Airman Jordan Castelan) www.dvidshub.net
Berge von Schwimmwesten liegen am 27.02.2016 in der Naehe von Molivos, Griechenland auf einer Muelldeponie. Ueber 120000 Fluechtlinge sind 2016 bereits mit Schlauchbooten in Griechenland angekommen. Die Schwimmwesten werden auf Mülldeponien auf der Insel abgeladen. Foto: Markus Heine / heineimaging
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Islam does indeed have much to do with ISIS, but not in the way that is commonly understood. His Holiness Younus AlGohar explains in detail, drawing a conclusion that may shock some.
Carved relief from the ancient Assyrian royal palace of Nineveh (Mosul in modern Iraq) detail of one of the many relief panels that once lined the walls now in the British Museum.
Many of these scenes depict the hunting of animals and are as cruel as they are beautifully rendered; this often makes me question my enjoyment of these stunning artworks when beautiful animals like lions and horses are seen to be suffering in them.
The site of Nineveh has been attacked by Daesh barbarians over the last two years of jihadi occupation, demolishing most of the few remaining structures and destroying 3000 years of history. It is located in the centre of Mosul which is currently a battleground as Iraqi forces attempt to reclaim their city. Whether any of the last vestiges of ancient Nineveh survive the liberation of the city remains to be seen, fortunately most of its more important sculpture is safe in museums like this.
The Western countries have the ability to crush Daesh and all their worldwide offshoots.
Waging a war against Daesh and shaking hands with their father (Saudi Arabia) is mind-boggling hypocrisy. Saddam Hussain’s regime was successfully toppled up and so was Gaddafi’s regime.
When will they take action against Saudi Arabia, is a big question!
It is so sad and thought-provoking that there was yet another terrorist attack, this time in Mali.
4e arrondissement,
Paris, Île-de-France,
France
As my symbolic response to the unjustifiable attacks on civilians in Paris last Friday evening, November 13, 2015, I post this photo from July 1998. Taken just days after France won the World Cup, it captures another more hopeful world view.
It is unlikely you could ever see anything like this in the Daesh the attackers and zealots were aiming to establish through the destruction of innocents.
Nikon FE2
Nikkor 50mm f/1.8
Velvia 50
Nikon Super Coolscan 4000 ED
Photoshop CC
Zwei Recce Tornados starten im Rahmen des Einsatzes Counter DAESH zu ihrem ersten Einsatzflug in Incirlik, am 08.01.2015.
©Bundeswehr/Falk Bärwald
Armed Forces Day National Event Held in Cleethorpes - Sat 25 Jun 2016
Image shows: The RAF Aerobatic Team, The Red Arrows.
Celebrations took place to mark the eighth annual Armed Forces Day, honouring the work and dedication of our brave Servicemen and women deployed around the world. More than 250 events including parades, military displays and community fetes are took place right across the country to say thank you to the Armed Forces community, including Regulars, Reserves, their families and veterans past and present. From fighting Daesh in the Middle East to training troops in Nigeria and supporting NATO exercises, the UK’s Armed Forces are on duty 24/7. Armed Forces Day is a chance for Britain to acknowledge their hard work and sacrifice. The National Event was held in the seaside town Cleethorpes, Lincolnshire, attended by His Royal Highness the Duke of Kent representing the Queen and the Royal Family. Other guests included the Defence Secretary Michael Fallon, Minister of State for the Ministry of Defence and Deputy Leader of the House of Lords, The Rt Hon Earl Howe, the Commander of Joint Forces Command, General Sir Chris Deverell KCB MBE ADC and the Worshipful Mayor of North East Lincolnshire Christina McGilligan-Fell. The National Event began with a spectacular display from the Red Arrows, an amphibious display on the beach from the Royal Marines and a parachute drop from the RAF Falcons. A parade of Service personnel, veterans and cadets then marched down Cleethorpes seafront, from the North Promenade to the Boating Lake, followed by a motorcade of motorcyclists from the Armed Forces Bikers and the Royal British Legion bikers. The Duke of Kent took the salute from the parade on behalf of The Queen and Royal Family. Afternoon celebrations in Cleethorpes continued across the seafront with a variety of military displays including the White Helmets Motorcycle Display Team. Overhead the Battle of Britain Memorial Flight, a Chinook and the Royal Navy Black Cats Helicopters entertained the crowds.
-------------------------------------------------------
© Crown Copyright 2014
Photographer: Sgt Ross Tilly RAF
Image 45159899.jpg from www.defenceimages.mod.uk
This image is available for high resolution download at www.defenceimagery.mod.uk subject to the terms and conditions of the Open Government License at www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence/. Search for image number 45159899.jpg
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Mission humanitaire de l'armée irakienne et Peshmerga (combattants kurdes) : largage de vivres et munitions pour les Yézidis qui fuient la barbarie de Daesh dans les montagnes de Shengal (120km à l'ouest de Mossoul).
Sinjar in June. My lovely marketing lady spent time with our Yazidi staff, interviewing them about their experiences under ISIL. That evening she sat on the roof of our villa, deep in contemplation. In her own words ‘Drowned in despair’.
A soldier with the Iraqi Counter Terrorism Service makes sure mortar rounds are impacting the target at Besmaya Training Center, Iraq, April 13, 2019. The CTS soldiers participated in Coalition-led land navigation and mortar training in order to enhance their skillset and technical proficiencies in both areas. The Coalition and its partners remain committed to preventing the resurgence of Daesh and its violent extremist ideologies. (U.S. Army photo by Sgt. Jacob Ruiz)
Fregatte Augsburg F213 fährt im Rahmen der Mission Counter Daesh II im Mittelmeer, am 22.09.2016.
©Bundeswehr/Torsten Kraatz
Camp de réfugiés chrétiens dans le quartier d'Ainkawa à Erbil.
Tous ont quitté Qaraqosh (ville de 35000 habitants près de Mossoul) le 8 août 2014 sous la menace de Daesh.
Some peshmergas take me to the front lines of the war against ISIS. I find myself in the Taza area, just south of Kirkuk, on the road to Baghdad.
According to them, very few journalists come here. Some even said that I was the only was they saw. Nonetheless, it is a key strategic location. It is very dangerous there since Kirkuk is divided: Kurds in the north, ISIS in the south. All along the front lines you can see different units roaming about little traditional houses. Some are kept by old Kurdish vets from the 1980s wars.
Many vets have returned to war, despite being well past middle-aged and having children and grandchildren. Some even behind comfortable lives in Europe to come back, like a Swiss colonel I met. For them, it is their duty to fight for their region. Despite being autonomous and having a large secessionist movement, Kurdistan is not recognized as a state distinct from Iraq. “Some terrorists come along and now the whole world calls them the ‘Islamic State’,” complains one peshmerga, “For decades we have been trying to make the state of Kurdistan and we’ve gotten nothing!”
They have very few weapons, most of them are pre-Cold War AK47s. Some even date back to 1960. They still work, but the Kurdish forces ask for more efficient guns since ISIS has the latest weapons taken (or given) from the Iraqi army who in turn was supplied by coalition forces.
Many vets have only one working eye. The other was lost in previous wars. Once night falls, it becomes very difficult to monitor the 1000km long border. They don’t even have night vision equipment.
Last week it rained for 5 days, and it was impossible to see or hear anything. Some ISIS guys tried to gain territory, but the Kurds successfully fought them off. Their 4 wheel drives were stuck in the mud while ISIS’s brand new hummers were able to move about without issue. From the front line you can see ISIS flags. Since they told me to pack light, I didn’t bring a zoom lens. Sorry! You can see the smoke from their kitchen and even see men running from house to house.
ISIS is only 500 meters from the Kurdish position but nobody seems afraid. Peshmerga know that death is part of their fate, and even if they look like an army from another century, they will defend themselves and their country to the very end. For them, it is the highest honor to die for Kurdistan.
They protect the Baghdad road, but a few weeks ago lost it. After heavy fighting, they regained it, killing 3 Chechen ISIS fighters in the process.
Since peshmerga don’t have armored cars, it is very dangerous for them to go around safely.
The car I took to go on the front lines was very slow and made in the 80s. If we were chased by ISIS cars, we wouldn’t have stood a chance. In one day, all the materiel I saw included AK47s, a tank, an RPG, and a few gun old machines. Even if the pehsmergas say that this equipment works well, they are disappointed not to receive new ones, as Europe and USA promised.
The day after my visit, France made lot of bombings in the area, as ISIS was too close. Peshmergas take a lot of pictures, not only for souvenirs, but also to fight ISIS on the new front: social media.
They fear the roads they do not know well as ISIS pays the local farmers to put mines. Even in times of war, peshmergas are among the most welcoming people in the world. They regularly offer food and drinks.
When it was time for me to go back to the safety of Erbil, circumstances changed. The north road was closed because of an ISIS attack. The only way out was to send me through the south road that crossed Kirkuk. Let’s just say that safety there was not ideal. I had to hide my camera, and we crossed Kirkuk with an escort of armed peshmergas and a civilian car.
The soldiers were all nervous since Kirkuk is very dangerous, especially at the check points. As soon as a car was driving next to ours for too long, they were shouting at the driver to go away.
If a man was crossing the road too slowly, they threatened to hit him. These methods, employed by ISIS suicide bombers, have claimed the lives of hundred in Kirkuk. Once on the Kurdish side, they found a Kurdish taxi driver to bring me safely back to Erbil.
© Eric Lafforgue
For the people of #France, #Iraq, #Lebanon, #Syria and the Lake Chad region who became targets of #IS/#Daesh and #BokoHaram this week. Let us not hate. Let us overcome it. #peace #prayforparis
A U.S. soldier surveys a training ground near Kandahar, Afghanistan, March 14, 2017. The Soldier was part of a security detachment supporting Afghan Tactical Air Coordinators and advisers with Train, Advise, Assist Command-Air. As part of Resolute Support Mission, TAAC-Air works in tandem with Afghan counterparts to foster working relationships and fortify confidence in the mission. (U.S. Air Force photo by Senior Airman Jordan Castelan)www.dvidshub.net
Techniker bereiten im Rahmen des Einsatzes Counter DAESH den ersten Einsatzflug zweier Recce Tornados auf der Air Base in Incirlik vor, am 08.01.2016.
©Bundeswehr/Falk Bärwald
Bomb symbols near nose are for air strikes again Islamic State / Daesh militants in Iraq.
Participating in Exercise Diamond Storm from RAAF Base Darwin.
Armed Forces Day National Event Held In Cleethorpes - Sat 25 Jun 2016
Image shows two aircraft from the Battle of Britain Memorial Flight on display.
Celebrations are underway today to mark the eighth annual Armed Forces Day, honouring the work and dedication of our brave Servicemen and women deployed around the world.
More than 250 events including parades, military displays and community fetes are taking place right across the country to say thank you to the Armed Forces community, including Regulars, Reserves, their families and veterans past and present.
From fighting Daesh in the Middle East to training troops in Nigeria and supporting NATO exercises, the UK’s Armed Forces are on duty 24/7. Armed Forces Day is a chance for Britain to acknowledge their hard work and sacrifice.
The National Event was held in the seaside town Cleethorpes, Lincolnshire, attended by His Royal Highness The Duke of Kent representing the Queen and the Royal Family.
Other guests included the Defence Secretary Michael Fallon, Defence Minister Lord Howe, the Commander of Joint Force Command General Sir Chris Deverell and the Worshipful Mayor of North East Lincolnshire Christina McGilligan-Fell.
The National Event began with a spectacular display from the Red Arrows, an amphibious display on the beach from the Royal Marines and a parachute drop from the RAF Falcons. A parade of Service personnel, veterans and cadets then marched down Cleethorpes seafront, from the North Promenade to the Boating Lake, followed by a motorcade of motorcyclists from the Armed Forces Bikers and the Royal British Legion bikers.
The Duke of Kent took the salute from the parade on behalf of The Queen and Royal Family. Afternoon celebrations in Cleethorpes will continue across the seafront with a variety of military displays including the White Helmets Motorcycle Display Team. Overhead the Battle of Britain Memorial Flight, a Chinook and the Royal Navy Black Cats Helicopters will entertain the crowds.
Estimated at 100,000, crowds at Cleethorpes will also be able to see the RAFC Cranwell Band play alongside a Queens Colour Squadron display, followed by a performance by the Military Wives Choir. An evening of music will close the celebrations with fireworks ending the evening at the Armed Forces Gate.
Consent form signed.
-------------------------------------------------------
© Crown Copyright 2014
Photographer: POA(Phot) Owen Cooban
Image DDC-2016888.jpg from www.defenceimages.mod.uk
Use of this image is subject to the terms and conditions of the MoD News Licence at www.defenceimagery.mod.uk/fotoweb/20121001_Crown_copyrigh...
For latest news visit www.gov.uk/government/organisations/ministry-of-defence
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Ancienne cité à 110 Km au Sud de Mosul. Elle est située en plein désert sur la Route de la Soie et des Caravanes (en direction de Palmyre, Baalbeck, Pétra) . Elle a connu son apogée au II ème siècle et a même résisté aux armées romaines de Trajan et Septime Sévère. Elle fut détruite par les Perses en 251.
Le site est tombé dans l'oubli et les archéologues ne se sont intéressés à elle que dans la seconde moitié du XX èlme siècle. Elle est au Patrimoine Mondial de l'UNESCO depuis 1985. Malheureusement elle a été occupée par l'Etat Islamique (DAESH) en 2014, pillée et a subi des destructions. Certaines statues sont conservées au Musée Archéologique de Bagdad.
Elle a un plan circulaire avec une double enceinte de 6km.
D'autres temples existent dans l'enceinte, sans doute dédiés à des divinités secondaires.
Celui ci a gardé des bas reliefs représentant des dromadaires, des soldats, des animaux fantastiques...
Ancienne cité à 110 Km au Sud de Mosul. Elle est située en plein désert sur la Route de la Soie et des Caravanes (en direction de Palmyre, Baalbeck, Pétra) . Elle a connu son apogée au II ème siècle et a même résisté aux armées romaines de Trajan et Septime Sévère. Elle fut détruite par les Perses en 251.
Le site est tombé dans l'oubli et les archéologues ne se sont intéressés à elle que dans la seconde moitié du XX èlme siècle. Elle est au Patrimoine Mondial de l'UNESCO depuis 1985. Malheureusement elle a été occupée par l'Etat Islamique (DAESH) en 2014, pillée et a subi des destructions. Certaines statues sont conservées au Musée Archéologique de Bagdad.
Elle a un plan circulaire avec une double enceinte de 6km.
Le Grand Temple est composé de 2 parties séparées par un mur . Chaque partie comprend un iwan ( salle voûtée ouverte sur 3 côtés) qui mène aux sanctuaires. Le plus important était dédié au dieu du Soleil.
U.S. Soldiers in the 4th Battalion, 118th Infantry Regiment, 30th Armored Brigade Combat Team, North Carolina Army National Guard, attached to the 218th Maneuver Enhancement Brigade, South Carolina Army National Guard, demonstrate their own and the M2A2 Bradley Fighting Vehicles’ capabilities for the press eastern Syria Nov. 11, 2019. These mechanized infantry troops support Combined Joint Task Force- Operation Inherent Resolve and partner with Syrian Democratic Forces to defeat ISIS remnants and protect critical infrastructure in eastern Syria. (U.S. Army Reserve photo by Spc. DeAndre Pierce)
Überflug von zwei Aufklärungstornados mit RecceLite Pods im Rahmen des Einsatzes Counter DAESH in Incirlik, am 09.01.2015.
© Bundeswehr/Falk Bärwald
A man selling motorcycle parts amidst ruins of Manbij.
Manbij has been liberated from ISIS by Kurdish forces in Mid August 2016. Islamic State has been pushed out of the city, but signs of their presence still exist in there. ISIS heavily mined the city. In the first two months since liberation more than 200 people lost lives, blown up on IEDs placed by Daesh.
Manbij, Syria, September 2016.
3 August 2014 will remain the day the life of the yazedis has changed. Up to 200,000 yazedis people have been displaced from their homes in Sinjar City and the surrounding towns and villages when ISIS arrived by surprise .
The islamist group asked the residents to convert or die...Hundreds of Yazidis were executed as they refused. Most of the people left the village on time, fleeing on foot in the mountains, without nothing and most of the time without water or food , under a 50 degrees temperature. They walked for 7 days, including the babies and the elders. Many were killed, wounded or captured on the way. Now thousands are in Duhok in Kurdistan, and towns like Zoar when they have found a shelter for the winter. Some still have contacts thanks to the mobile phones with the relatives captured or trapped in Sinjar, but many do not have any news of their relatives and fear the worst...Until now, the town od Sinjar is seized by ISIS, where hundreds of Yazidis remain stranded months after fleeing their homes.But Kurdish peshmergas have regained lot of the ground lost to ISIS with the help of the U.S. air strikes. Sinjar is a strategic place as it would put the peshmergas on three sides of Mosul, the largest city under ISIS rule in northern Iraq.
© Eric Lafforgue
Some peshmergas take me to the front lines of the war against ISIS. I find myself in the Taza area, just south of Kirkuk, on the road to Baghdad.
According to them, very few journalists come here. Some even said that I was the only was they saw. Nonetheless, it is a key strategic location. It is very dangerous there since Kirkuk is divided: Kurds in the north, ISIS in the south. All along the front lines you can see different units roaming about little traditional houses. Some are kept by old Kurdish vets from the 1980s wars.
Many vets have returned to war, despite being well past middle-aged and having children and grandchildren. Some even behind comfortable lives in Europe to come back, like a Swiss colonel I met. For them, it is their duty to fight for their region. Despite being autonomous and having a large secessionist movement, Kurdistan is not recognized as a state distinct from Iraq. “Some terrorists come along and now the whole world calls them the ‘Islamic State’,” complains one peshmerga, “For decades we have been trying to make the state of Kurdistan and we’ve gotten nothing!”
They have very few weapons, most of them are pre-Cold War AK47s. Some even date back to 1960. They still work, but the Kurdish forces ask for more efficient guns since ISIS has the latest weapons taken (or given) from the Iraqi army who in turn was supplied by coalition forces.
Many vets have only one working eye. The other was lost in previous wars. Once night falls, it becomes very difficult to monitor the 1000km long border. They don’t even have night vision equipment.
Last week it rained for 5 days, and it was impossible to see or hear anything. Some ISIS guys tried to gain territory, but the Kurds successfully fought them off. Their 4 wheel drives were stuck in the mud while ISIS’s brand new hummers were able to move about without issue. From the front line you can see ISIS flags. Since they told me to pack light, I didn’t bring a zoom lens. Sorry! You can see the smoke from their kitchen and even see men running from house to house.
ISIS is only 500 meters from the Kurdish position but nobody seems afraid. Peshmerga know that death is part of their fate, and even if they look like an army from another century, they will defend themselves and their country to the very end. For them, it is the highest honor to die for Kurdistan.
They protect the Baghdad road, but a few weeks ago lost it. After heavy fighting, they regained it, killing 3 Chechen ISIS fighters in the process.
Since peshmerga don’t have armored cars, it is very dangerous for them to go around safely.
The car I took to go on the front lines was very slow and made in the 80s. If we were chased by ISIS cars, we wouldn’t have stood a chance. In one day, all the materiel I saw included AK47s, a tank, an RPG, and a few gun old machines. Even if the pehsmergas say that this equipment works well, they are disappointed not to receive new ones, as Europe and USA promised.
The day after my visit, France made lot of bombings in the area, as ISIS was too close. Peshmergas take a lot of pictures, not only for souvenirs, but also to fight ISIS on the new front: social media.
They fear the roads they do not know well as ISIS pays the local farmers to put mines. Even in times of war, peshmergas are among the most welcoming people in the world. They regularly offer food and drinks.
When it was time for me to go back to the safety of Erbil, circumstances changed. The north road was closed because of an ISIS attack. The only way out was to send me through the south road that crossed Kirkuk. Let’s just say that safety there was not ideal. I had to hide my camera, and we crossed Kirkuk with an escort of armed peshmergas and a civilian car.
The soldiers were all nervous since Kirkuk is very dangerous, especially at the check points. As soon as a car was driving next to ours for too long, they were shouting at the driver to go away.
If a man was crossing the road too slowly, they threatened to hit him. These methods, employed by ISIS suicide bombers, have claimed the lives of hundred in Kirkuk. Once on the Kurdish side, they found a Kurdish taxi driver to bring me safely back to Erbil.
© Eric Lafforgue
Some peshmergas take me to the front lines of the war against ISIS. I find myself in the Taza area, just south of Kirkuk, on the road to Baghdad.
According to them, very few journalists come here. Some even said that I was the only was they saw. Nonetheless, it is a key strategic location. It is very dangerous there since Kirkuk is divided: Kurds in the north, ISIS in the south. All along the front lines you can see different units roaming about little traditional houses. Some are kept by old Kurdish vets from the 1980s wars.
Many vets have returned to war, despite being well past middle-aged and having children and grandchildren. Some even behind comfortable lives in Europe to come back, like a Swiss colonel I met. For them, it is their duty to fight for their region. Despite being autonomous and having a large secessionist movement, Kurdistan is not recognized as a state distinct from Iraq. “Some terrorists come along and now the whole world calls them the ‘Islamic State’,” complains one peshmerga, “For decades we have been trying to make the state of Kurdistan and we’ve gotten nothing!”
They have very few weapons, most of them are pre-Cold War AK47s. Some even date back to 1960. They still work, but the Kurdish forces ask for more efficient guns since ISIS has the latest weapons taken (or given) from the Iraqi army who in turn was supplied by coalition forces.
Many vets have only one working eye. The other was lost in previous wars. Once night falls, it becomes very difficult to monitor the 1000km long border. They don’t even have night vision equipment.
Last week it rained for 5 days, and it was impossible to see or hear anything. Some ISIS guys tried to gain territory, but the Kurds successfully fought them off. Their 4 wheel drives were stuck in the mud while ISIS’s brand new hummers were able to move about without issue. From the front line you can see ISIS flags. Since they told me to pack light, I didn’t bring a zoom lens. Sorry! You can see the smoke from their kitchen and even see men running from house to house.
ISIS is only 500 meters from the Kurdish position but nobody seems afraid. Peshmerga know that death is part of their fate, and even if they look like an army from another century, they will defend themselves and their country to the very end. For them, it is the highest honor to die for Kurdistan.
They protect the Baghdad road, but a few weeks ago lost it. After heavy fighting, they regained it, killing 3 Chechen ISIS fighters in the process.
Since peshmerga don’t have armored cars, it is very dangerous for them to go around safely.
The car I took to go on the front lines was very slow and made in the 80s. If we were chased by ISIS cars, we wouldn’t have stood a chance. In one day, all the materiel I saw included AK47s, a tank, an RPG, and a few gun old machines. Even if the pehsmergas say that this equipment works well, they are disappointed not to receive new ones, as Europe and USA promised.
The day after my visit, France made lot of bombings in the area, as ISIS was too close. Peshmergas take a lot of pictures, not only for souvenirs, but also to fight ISIS on the new front: social media.
They fear the roads they do not know well as ISIS pays the local farmers to put mines. Even in times of war, peshmergas are among the most welcoming people in the world. They regularly offer food and drinks.
When it was time for me to go back to the safety of Erbil, circumstances changed. The north road was closed because of an ISIS attack. The only way out was to send me through the south road that crossed Kirkuk. Let’s just say that safety there was not ideal. I had to hide my camera, and we crossed Kirkuk with an escort of armed peshmergas and a civilian car.
The soldiers were all nervous since Kirkuk is very dangerous, especially at the check points. As soon as a car was driving next to ours for too long, they were shouting at the driver to go away.
If a man was crossing the road too slowly, they threatened to hit him. These methods, employed by ISIS suicide bombers, have claimed the lives of hundred in Kirkuk. Once on the Kurdish side, they found a Kurdish taxi driver to bring me safely back to Erbil.
© Eric Lafforgue
U.S. Soldiers in the 4th Battalion, 118th Infantry Regiment, 30th Armored Brigade Combat Team, North Carolina Army National Guard, attached to the 218th Maneuver Enhancement Brigade, South Carolina Army National Guard, provide M2A2 Bradley Fighting Vehicles for support to Combined Joint Task Force-Operation Inherent Resolve (CJTF-OIR) eastern Syria Nov. 10, 2019. The mechanized infantry troops will partner with Syrian Democratic Forces to defeat ISIS remnants and protect critical infrastructure in eastern Syria. (U.S. Army Reserve photo by Spc. DeAndre Pierce)
Zwei Recce Tornados starten im Rahmen des Einsatzes Counter DAESH zu ihrem ersten Einsatzflug in Incirlik, am 08.01.2015.
©Bundeswehr/Falk Bärwald
Some peshmergas take me to the front lines of the war against ISIS. I find myself in the Taza area, just south of Kirkuk, on the road to Baghdad.
According to them, very few journalists come here. Some even said that I was the only was they saw. Nonetheless, it is a key strategic location. It is very dangerous there since Kirkuk is divided: Kurds in the north, ISIS in the south. All along the front lines you can see different units roaming about little traditional houses. Some are kept by old Kurdish vets from the 1980s wars.
Many vets have returned to war, despite being well past middle-aged and having children and grandchildren. Some even behind comfortable lives in Europe to come back, like a Swiss colonel I met. For them, it is their duty to fight for their region. Despite being autonomous and having a large secessionist movement, Kurdistan is not recognized as a state distinct from Iraq. “Some terrorists come along and now the whole world calls them the ‘Islamic State’,” complains one peshmerga, “For decades we have been trying to make the state of Kurdistan and we’ve gotten nothing!”
They have very few weapons, most of them are pre-Cold War AK47s. Some even date back to 1960. They still work, but the Kurdish forces ask for more efficient guns since ISIS has the latest weapons taken (or given) from the Iraqi army who in turn was supplied by coalition forces.
Many vets have only one working eye. The other was lost in previous wars. Once night falls, it becomes very difficult to monitor the 1000km long border. They don’t even have night vision equipment.
Last week it rained for 5 days, and it was impossible to see or hear anything. Some ISIS guys tried to gain territory, but the Kurds successfully fought them off. Their 4 wheel drives were stuck in the mud while ISIS’s brand new hummers were able to move about without issue. From the front line you can see ISIS flags. Since they told me to pack light, I didn’t bring a zoom lens. Sorry! You can see the smoke from their kitchen and even see men running from house to house.
ISIS is only 500 meters from the Kurdish position but nobody seems afraid. Peshmerga know that death is part of their fate, and even if they look like an army from another century, they will defend themselves and their country to the very end. For them, it is the highest honor to die for Kurdistan.
They protect the Baghdad road, but a few weeks ago lost it. After heavy fighting, they regained it, killing 3 Chechen ISIS fighters in the process.
Since peshmerga don’t have armored cars, it is very dangerous for them to go around safely.
The car I took to go on the front lines was very slow and made in the 80s. If we were chased by ISIS cars, we wouldn’t have stood a chance. In one day, all the materiel I saw included AK47s, a tank, an RPG, and a few gun old machines. Even if the pehsmergas say that this equipment works well, they are disappointed not to receive new ones, as Europe and USA promised.
The day after my visit, France made lot of bombings in the area, as ISIS was too close. Peshmergas take a lot of pictures, not only for souvenirs, but also to fight ISIS on the new front: social media.
They fear the roads they do not know well as ISIS pays the local farmers to put mines. Even in times of war, peshmergas are among the most welcoming people in the world. They regularly offer food and drinks.
When it was time for me to go back to the safety of Erbil, circumstances changed. The north road was closed because of an ISIS attack. The only way out was to send me through the south road that crossed Kirkuk. Let’s just say that safety there was not ideal. I had to hide my camera, and we crossed Kirkuk with an escort of armed peshmergas and a civilian car.
The soldiers were all nervous since Kirkuk is very dangerous, especially at the check points. As soon as a car was driving next to ours for too long, they were shouting at the driver to go away.
If a man was crossing the road too slowly, they threatened to hit him. These methods, employed by ISIS suicide bombers, have claimed the lives of hundred in Kirkuk. Once on the Kurdish side, they found a Kurdish taxi driver to bring me safely back to Erbil.
© Eric Lafforgue
Twenty-five years since the Royal Air Force helped liberate Kuwait from Saddam Hussein’s forces, an RAF Tornado GR4 has been painted in the iconic Gulf War ‘desert pink’ paint scheme to honour the aircraft type’s almost continuous operational service since then. On 28 February – the 25th anniversary of Saddam’s forces’ withdrawal from Kuwait – the aircraft is planned to stage a flypast at the National Arboretum at an event honouring the British forces involved in the Gulf War.
The ‘desert pink’ Tornado, number ZG750, is based at RAF Lossiemouth with XV(R) Squadron, which saw active service during Operation Granby, the UK’s codename for the Gulf War. The aircraft carries 11 ‘battle honours’ on its tail, recalling the Tornado’s almost continuous service on operations worldwide since 1991.
Tornado F3 fighters and GR1 bombers – from which today’s Tornado GR4 descends – were among the earliest allied aircraft to launch operations against Saddam’s forces in Kuwait from January 1991. Tornado GR aircraft have seen active service on operations worldwide every year since then, including in humanitarian, reconnaissance and strike roles. Recent deployments include Libya, Nigeria and Afghanistan, and Tornado GR4s are currently flying in Iraq and Syria as part of a global coalition to help defeat the Daesh terrorist group.
The Tornado was introduced into RAF service in 1979, and has been updated throughout its life to keep up with the changing requirements of the modern battlefield. Today’s Tornado GR4s carry improved precision guided weapons including the Paveway IV laser- or GPS-guided bomb and Brimstone missiles, as well as cutting-edge RAPTOR and Litening III surveillance and targeting pods.
Before Daesh
These are more photos from the period I still took photos using 35mm film, discovered in my cardboard box.
This photo was taken in Jeddah, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, when a Christian was still equal to a Muslim, and vice versa, could roam the streets and shop in complete safety, and we respected each other, had regard for what made each of our cultures and religions unique.
I have travelled for work throughout the Middle East, with similar experience.
Governments, politicians, bigots, and media tend to keep our societies and cultures divided, fearful, and suspicious of each others' intentions.
Note: I do not know this man. I merely stopped him as we passed each other along the shoreline of the Red Sea and asked him if I could take his photo and if he wouldn't mind taking mine.
Think for yourself. Do not allow governments, politicians, bigots, or media to make up your mind for you.
Sixty thousand years ago, there was no organized religion on a global scale and no religious fanatics.
A gentle reminder about copyright and intellectual property-
Ⓒ Cassidy Photography (All images in this Flickr portfolio)