"Iraq lost 2,300 Humvees in Mosul: PM"

2015-06-03T10:33:22-04:00

This article was originally published on dailystar.com:
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BAGHDAD: Iraqi security forces lost 2,300 Humvee armored vehicles when ISIS overran the northern city of Mosul, Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi said on Sunday.

"In the collapse of Mosul, we lost a lot of weapons," Abadi said in an interview with Iraqiya state TV. "We lost 2,300 Humvees in Mosul alone."

While the exact price of the vehicles varies depending on how they are armored and equipped, it is clearly a hugely expensive loss that has boosted ISIS's capabilities.

Last year, the State Department approved a possible sale to Iraq of 1,000 Humvees with increased armor, machineguns, grenade launchers, other gear and support that was estimated to cost $579 million.

Clashes began in Mosul, Iraq's second city, late on June 9, 2014, and Iraqi forces lost it the following day to ISIS, which spearheaded an offensive that overran much of the country's Sunni Arab heartland.

The militants gained ample arms, ammunition and other equipment when multiple Iraqi divisions fell apart in the country's north, abandoning gear and shedding uniforms in their haste to flee.

ISIS has used captured Humvees, which were provided to Iraq by the United States, in subsequent fighting, rigging some with explosives for suicide bombings.

Iraqi security forces backed by Shiite militias have regained significant ground from ISIS in Diyala and Salaheddin provinces north of Baghdad.

But that momentum was slashed in mid-May when ISIS overran Ramadi, the capital of Anbar province, west of Baghdad, where Iraqi forces had held out against militants for more than a year.

http://www.dailystar.com.lb/News/Middle-East/2015/May-31/299962-iraq-lost-2300-humvees-in-mosul-pm.ashx

Response by SSgt Private RallyPoint Member made Jun 3 at 2015 10:45 AM

2015-06-03T10:45:12-04:00

We seem to be doing a pretty good job at arming those who are now waging battle against us. The rebels in Syria (Al Qaeda), the Iraqis (who have, apparently lost damn near everything to ISIS), etc. The list keeps going.

Response by MAJ Robert (Bob) Petrarca made Jun 3 at 2015 10:46 AM

2015-06-03T10:46:07-04:00

Oh, you mean the same one's we GAVE them to support their forces - those HMMWV's?

Response by LTC John Shaw made Jun 3 at 2015 10:55 AM

2015-06-03T10:55:22-04:00

It is like the Iraqi government wants to lose to ISIS/ISIL.

Response by MSG Brad Sand made Jun 3 at 2015 11:09 AM

2015-06-03T11:09:59-04:00

They lost them?

They woke up one morning and realized there were 2,300 Humvees missing?

In the future, we need to just give the arms directly to ISIS and take the Iraqi middlemen out of the picture. This will save time and money.

Response by CPT Aaron Kletzing made Jun 3 at 2015 2:28 PM

2015-06-03T14:28:58-04:00

And people wonder why ISIS is clobbering these guys...

Response by MAJ Robert (Bob) Petrarca made Jun 3 at 2015 4:12 PM

2015-06-03T16:12:54-04:00

Somebody parked them in the WRONG parking lot.

Response by PO3 Michael James made Jun 3 at 2015 7:58 PM

2015-06-03T19:58:05-04:00

Hidden Vehicle tracking Chip, and hidden self-destruct system, Find the Humvee in the wrong hands.. ooops and puff its GONE, before it can be used against us.. Okay its corny.