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US not serious in fight against Daesh : Iraq commander

Iran Press TV

Mon Oct 5, 2015 3:47PM

A high-ranking Iraqi commander has cast doubt on the seriousness of the so-called US-led coalition in its fight against Daesh Takfiri militants operating in Iraq and Syria.

'To this day, we have not seen a really serious effort to fight Daesh,' Hadi al-Ameri, a top leader of Badr Organization, said in the holy city of Najaf on Monday.

'There are some who try to contain Daesh but not really eliminate them,' he added.

Ameri, who co-commands Iraq's Popular Mobilization Units, further said the lack of seriousness of the US-led coalition prompted the volunteer forces to "change tack.'

He noted that Russia is moving in a 'very serious way' against Daesh militants.

On September 30, Russia began its military campaign against terrorists operating in Syria upon a request from the Damascus government.

Moscow started its campaign weeks after Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said he had been informed that the US-led coalition had, on a number of occasions, not carried out airstrikes against confirmed Daesh positions inside Syria.

The US and some of its Arab allies have been conducting airstrikes against Daesh inside Syria since last September. Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, in an interview with the Islamic Republic of Iran News Network, said the US-led strikes have been counterproductive. He also said the attacks have resulted in the spread of terrorism.

Earlier this month, Iraq announced that it had agreed to establish a center in Baghdad to step up intelligence cooperation with Russia, Syria and Iran in the fight against Daesh.

The Iraqi government has also said it might allow Moscow to hit Daesh targets in Iraq as well.

Ameri, meanwhile, said Daesh is currently recruiting its militants from 108 countries around the world and "all of them are going through Turkey, with the coalition's knowledge."

Volunteer forces welcome Russia strikes

In a separate development on Monday, Muen al-Kadhimi, a senior aide to the leader of the Badr Organization, also "strongly" welcomed possible Russian airstrikes against Daesh position in Iraq.

'We are looking forward to seeing Russian warplanes bomb the positions and headquarters of Daesh in Iraq and all its joint supply routes with Syria,' Kadhimi said. 'We will strongly welcome such intervention by the Russians to take out Daesh in Iraq.'

Earlier in the day, Naim al-Uboudi, the spokesman for the Asa'ib Ahl al-Haq volunteer forces, expressed support for Moscow's attack on Daesh in the Middle East.

'We know that the United States, during the past year and a half, was not serious about putting an end to Daesh ... they attempt to manage the crisis rather than put an end to it,' he said.

The northern and western parts of Iraq have been plagued by violence ever since Daesh began its march through Iraqi territory in June 2014. Army soldiers and the Popular Mobilization units have joined forces and are seeking to take back militant-held regions.