"Corrupt [Iraqi security forces] commanders in Ramadi took bribes in exchange for battle plans and logistical information." The fleeing Iraqi army units left behind millions of dollars of American-made military gear, including "dozens" of tracked vehicles, among them about half a dozen M1 Abrams tanks and about 100 armored Humvees and other vehicles, U.S. military officials said. - Inside the Battle for Ramadi | Iraqi army 'abandoned tanks, artillery and Humvees' to Isil in fall of Ramadi | Isis sleeper cells and double agents helped capture of Ramadi | ISIS Advances Into Iraq's Ramadi Amid Wave Of Suicide Attacks | "Isis also released some 70 men and 31 women from Ramadi prison who had been shot in the feet to prevent them escaping by their jailers before they fled. Sunni Arabs in the city had long complained that local police arrested people arbitrarily, tortured them and would only release them after payment of a bribe. Using loudspeakers, Isis told relatives to come to the main mosque to pick up the prisoners." - Isis seizes Ramadi
Isis seizes Ramadi: Iraqi government deploys Shia militiamen to assist in counter-offensive to retake city from jihadists - Middle East - World Sunday May 24 th , 2015 at 2:01 PM 1 Share The loss of Ramadi has discredited the Baghdad government and US policy of relying on the regular army backed by US air strikes to hold back and ultimately defeat Isis. The first contingents of Shia paramilitaries from the al-Hashd al-Shaabi (“Popular Mobilisation”) are assembling at Habbaniyah military base 20 miles east of Ramadi. In total the paramilitaries are reported to number between 100,000 and 120,000 men, though only a small number of these are in Anbar province – of which Ramadi is the capital – while the regular army has only a maximum of five brigades or 15,000 soldiers who are effective in combat. Several of its best units are exhausted or suffered heavy losses in fighting over the last 18 months with many desertions. An Iraqi government statement