On June 11, 2014, following the advances of the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS) in the Mosul area, and a statement by the organization vowing to march on Baghdad, the organization's "Baghdad province" announced the launch of a campaign involving intensified attacks on government forces and Shi’ite militias in the Iraqi capital and its environs. The following are excerpts from the announcement:
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“Following the recent victories that Allah granted ISIS, and the arrival of additional manpower, funds, weapons and military vehicles of all kinds, your brothers in the Baghdad province – may Allah liberate it – in coordination with other [ISIS] provinces, announce the initiation of a new campaign that we have called ‘The March’. The heroes of battle and raging lions already carried out the first surge of this campaign when two knights of Islam set out to demolish two strongholds of the Rafidi [i.e., Shi'ite] government and its lackeys from the [Shi’ite] militias.” This refers to two recent suicide bombings perpetrated by ISIS: a car-bomb that targeted a policemen's gathering and another that targeted a group of soldiers in Sadr City. The statement concluded: “We say to the Safavid [i.e., Iranian-controlled] government and its parties, militias and security apparatuses: be aware that tragedies will befall you in the coming days, Allah willing…"
Source: Twitter.com/fawaresbaghdad, June 12, 2014.
