The Islamic State of Iraq and the Sham's Ninewa Division released a set of photographs that details the attack on and capture of an Iraqi military command center, captured military hardware, and the execution of Iraqi prisoners.
The Ninewa Division, one of 16 wilayats or administrative units in the ISIS' Islamic state that spans Syria and Iraq, released the 39 photographs on its Twitter account. The photographs are captioned "Pictures from the Invasion of Asadullah [Lion of Allah] al-Bilawi Abu Abdul Rahman." As The Long War Journal previously reported, ISIS has named the current offensive after a now deceased ISIS commander, 'Adnan Ismail Najm, also known as Abu Abdul Rahman al Bilawi.
The stream of photographs begins by showing a group of ISIS fighters meeting at a compound, presumably for their pre-mission briefing. Next, a series of photographs shows an ISIS convoy of technicals, or pickup trucks mounted with machine guns, moving down a road and then engaging with what appears to be a small military outpost. ISIS forces defeat the Iraqi troops and raise their black banner of jihad over the base.
The ISIS fighters then appear to move to another Iraqi military base and take it over. In one photograph, an ISIS fighter poses in front of a sign that says "The Second Operations Command Center." This may refer to the headquarters of the 2nd Iraqi Army Division, which reported to the Ninewa Operational Command.
Some of the photographs show captured Iraqi military hardware, including an armored US-made Humvee and Soviet-era armored fighting vehicles. ISIS fighters are also depicted launching rockets.
The photoset concludes by showing the brutal execution of what appears to be three Iraqi security personnel who were captured in the assault. The military identification cards of two of the men who were executed are displayed. The three Iraqi troops are kneeling on the ground as three ISIS fighters shoot them in the back of the head with pistols.
The Ninewa Division's most recent photographs are consistent with others produced by that group and by the neighboring Salahaddin Division. A series of pictures released on June 15 by the Salahaddin Division showed the group's spoils of war after capturing a prison in Tikrit, as well as the execution of scores of captured Iraqi soldiers. Another photoset released on June 19 by the Ninewa Division showed an overrun military base, captured military hardware, and local support for the group in the province.
WARNING: One of the images below is graphic and shows the execution of Iraqi soldiers. The intent in publishing these photographs is to document the war crimes committed by the ISIS. The images are a selection of 39 published by the ISIS' Ninewa Division. You can view the all of the photographs here.
ISIS fighters gather for what appears to be a pre-mission briefing before attacking Iraqi military installations:
ISIS fighters move down a road in a convoy of technicals:
An ISIS technical opens fire on a military base:
An ISIS flag flies from a technical engaged in combat:
ISIS fighters enter a small military outpost:
A slain Iraqi soldier near the HESCO barriers of the military outpost:
ISIS fighters prepare to raise their flag over the captured military outpost:
An ISIS fighter drives what appears to be an Iraqi Army armored personnel carrier:
An ISIS fighter sits atop a captured US-made armored Humvee that appears to have been owned by the Iraqi National Police:
ISIS fighters enter a military base:
A captured armored vehicle that appears to have been owned by the Iraqi National Police:
An ISIS fighter poses under a sign that reads: "The Second Operations Command Center."
The ISIS' black banner of jihad is raised over the command center:
ISIS fighters fire a rocket:
Two captured Iraqi soldiers are photographed, and their military IDs are displayed:
ISIS fighters execute three Iraqi soldiers:
