US contributed to creation of ISIS - Iraq leader's astonishing attack
AN Iraqi leader has made an astonishing claim that the United States contributed to the creation of the terrorist group Islamic State (ISIS).
Iraqi military footage shows men attempting to flee Mosul
Iraq’s vice-president Nouri al-Makiki said that while the US had provided support to the Iraqi army and the allied forces it has also contributed to the emergence of the extremist group in the first place.
He added that Washington was now seeking to establish military bases on Iraqi territory in order to maintain its influence in the region.
He said: “ISIS resembles the Taliban which was created by the US administration to counter the USSR in Afghanistan.
“The same way, ISIS was created to counter the Iraqi stance, which did not agree to blockade Syria, was against no-fly zones in Syria and against American military bases.
"The Iraqi society is against foreign military bases on the country's territory coming back to Iraq and setting up bases here."
The Iraqi official also claimed that it was the country’s military that were mainly responsible for driving ISIS out of Mosul.
ISIS resembles the Taliban which was created by the US administration to counter the USSR in Afghanistan
He said: "Yes, they [the US] supported us with aviation, but the main credit goes to the Iraqi soldiers, people’s militia, Iraqi air force.
“In reality, this is the victory the Iraqi army.”
He revealed that some 20,000 Iraqi soldiers and police officers had either been killed or wounded.
According to the vice-president there were around 5,000 terrorists in Iraq, with between 2,000 and 3,000 of them having been killed.
Others are said to be still hiding or have fled with the refugees.
He added: "There are sleeper cells in Baghdad, from time to time they take action and perform bombings... That's not worrying in a military sense.
“Islamic State is unable to advance or capture territories, they will not be able to hold the occupied regions, but from the security point of view there are still sleeper cells and lone wolves, used by ISIS.”