Dheyaa Alwakeel
Speculations have been increasing in the past few hours about the PMF leadership’s decision to temporarily pause military operations in Al-Ramadi to allow civilians to exit the city according to what Hadi Al-Amiri, leader in PMF, declared.
In my opinion, this is a tactical decision with more than one goal:
Postponing the battle was to complete the preparations and to conclude the defining elements with the least casualty count, according to a new innovative approach that relies on three aspects (Field, human, and legal).
Pulling the rug from under his rivals and critics to avoid blame for what might happen after, and doing everything possible to keep the civilians from the scourges of war.
Laying new rules for the war against ISIS.
Moving the initiation and control over operations to the leadership of PMF.
Directing political messages to the international community ensuring respect for the international and humanitarian charters and laws.
This decision reveals the complexity and ferocity of the upcoming battle in Al-Ramadi, in which the moral and human aspects will race with the pressures of the operational situation, so as to translate the political wisdom to the leadership of PMF which seeks getting the civilians out of harm’s way before the next liberation attack. And with that procedure the legal aspect will be completed in response to the human needs, national requirements, and the Geneva conventions, which pleads for the protection of civilians during war time.
The map of Al-Ramadi operations
However this decision faces a dangerous challenge presented in ISIS preventing the families held up in the city from leaving. The numbers of the families are not known till now, and it is very likely that they will be used as human shields, which makes the alternatives very difficult and risky, and pushes towards the search for a possibility to provide safe passage for the detained families.
The next battle is considered to be the one of the most dangerous and most difficult, as the field made up of overlapping built areas, some of which are fortified and pervaded with tunnels, and that requires tight planning and heavily-trained Special Forces to go through this ruthless kind of battle, for the following reasons:
It is difficult to use armors as they are prone to anti-fire (RPG).
Bombs and explosive devices planted in houses and buildings to hinder progress.
Use of sniper fire that would be difficult to locate.
Neutralize air force attacks and loss of its support at engaging and attacking.
The presence of civilians makes the mission harder and more complicated.
And it is expected from ISIS that they will perform several suicidal attacks aiming to distract effort, delay the battle, exhaust the attacking forces, and affect their spirit.
And finally we would like to say that the liberation of Al-Ramadi is absolute and inevitable, and its repercussions will shape an important turn out in the path of war against ISIS, and will strike it with a deadly hit that will send echoing tremors to the remaining sectors soon enough – Allah willing –.
In my opinion, the leadership of PMF is dealing patriotically with the raging military situation; and they definitely made the right decision by temporarily seizing the operations in Al-Ramadi for humanitarian reasons. They are also managing the war situation with mature consideration, and realistic evaluation of the abilities and needs, while keeping an aware perspective of the challenges and possible reactions.
