IS booby-traps Tikrit homes as it battles Iraqi forces
IS booby-traps Tikrit homes as it battles Iraqi forces
The Iraqi army is advancing cautiously after a number of its soldiers have been killed in houses booby-trapped by IS extremists.
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IS has been booby trapping houses [AFP]
Eight Iraqi soldiers were killed and eight wounded, Friday, in explosions in two houses rigged with explosive devices by the Islamic State group (IS) [AR].
The explosions took place in the provinces of Anbar in the west and Saladin in the north. Iraqi forces and affiliate militias have reportedly been operating more carefully to avoid IS booby-traps.
"The army force raided homes in al-Karma neighbourhood 13km east of Fallujah in their search for IS fighters. An explosion in one of the houses killed five soldiers and critically wounded four others," according to Qasim al-Mohammadi, commander of army operations in Anbar, quoted by Anadolu news agency.
Another booby-trapped house exploded near an Iraqi army and police joint security force who were carrying out a search and raid campaign south of Baiji, 40km north of Tikrit. Three soldiers were killed and four wounded in the explosion, according to a military source who requested anonymity.
Earlier today, Iraqi security forces and affiliated militias appeared to be taking cautious measures moving around Tikrit's walls [AR], to avoid IS traps. IS fighters had set up several explosive devices around the city to kill or main their opponents.
Yesterday, Thursday, at least 60 members of the Iraqi offensive forces were killed or wounded in three separate sets of explosions in buildings under construction in the Tikrit area. The construction sites were completely rigged with improvised explosive devices and containers filled with TNT. In addition, an oil drum packed with explosives and buried underground, was set off devastating the area.
The Iraqi army stopped advancing after the incident and a request was submitted to the US forces for mechanical detection devices to help detect explosive devices remotely. US forces asked for three days to secure these devices, according to military engineering unit director of the Iraqi Army Tenth Division, colonel Majid al-Moussawi.
"These devices will reduce our losses and end the nightmare of booby-trapped buildings exploding on entry and collapsing on our fighters. Not to mention the containers and oil drums that are filled with fuel and explosives and buried underground, which can be detonated remotely by IS fighters hiding around the walls of the city," Moussawi told al-Araby al-Jadeed.
Moussawi explained that there were dozens of these traps including cooking pots stuffed with explosives dotted around the city. He said they were slowing down their activities as they were waiting for detection devices arrive, to dismantle or remotely destroy the explosive devices.
This article is an edited translation from our Arabic edition.
The explosions took place in the provinces of Anbar in the west and Saladin in the north. Iraqi forces and affiliate militias have reportedly been operating more carefully to avoid IS booby-traps.
"The army force raided homes in al-Karma neighbourhood 13km east of Fallujah in their search for IS fighters. An explosion in one of the houses killed five soldiers and critically wounded four others," according to Qasim al-Mohammadi, commander of army operations in Anbar, quoted by Anadolu news agency.
Another booby-trapped house exploded near an Iraqi army and police joint security force who were carrying out a search and raid campaign south of Baiji, 40km north of Tikrit. Three soldiers were killed and four wounded in the explosion, according to a military source who requested anonymity.
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An oil drum packed with explosives and buried underground in Tikrit, was set off devastating the area. |
Earlier today, Iraqi security forces and affiliated militias appeared to be taking cautious measures moving around Tikrit's walls [AR], to avoid IS traps. IS fighters had set up several explosive devices around the city to kill or main their opponents.
Yesterday, Thursday, at least 60 members of the Iraqi offensive forces were killed or wounded in three separate sets of explosions in buildings under construction in the Tikrit area. The construction sites were completely rigged with improvised explosive devices and containers filled with TNT. In addition, an oil drum packed with explosives and buried underground, was set off devastating the area.
The Iraqi army stopped advancing after the incident and a request was submitted to the US forces for mechanical detection devices to help detect explosive devices remotely. US forces asked for three days to secure these devices, according to military engineering unit director of the Iraqi Army Tenth Division, colonel Majid al-Moussawi.
"These devices will reduce our losses and end the nightmare of booby-trapped buildings exploding on entry and collapsing on our fighters. Not to mention the containers and oil drums that are filled with fuel and explosives and buried underground, which can be detonated remotely by IS fighters hiding around the walls of the city," Moussawi told al-Araby al-Jadeed.
Moussawi explained that there were dozens of these traps including cooking pots stuffed with explosives dotted around the city. He said they were slowing down their activities as they were waiting for detection devices arrive, to dismantle or remotely destroy the explosive devices.
This article is an edited translation from our Arabic edition.
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