Free Republic

In a bad sign for the future of security in Baghdad, ISIS forces are apparently close enough to the center of the Iraqi capital that they are firing mortars which are landing inside the heavily fortified Green Zone. Officials in Baghdad confirmed on Tuesday that two mortars landed within 500 meters of the United States embassy in the Green Zone. That portion of the city houses Iraqi government facilities as well as American and British diplomatic installations. ISIS militants on Twitter reportedly claimed credit for striking targets inside the Green Zone moments after the attack.

<p>Islamic State militants have taken control of key cities in Iraq’s western province of Anbar and have begun to besiege one of the country’s largest military bases in a weeklong offensive that’s brought them within artillery range of Baghdad.</p> <p>The Islamic State and its tribal allies have dominated Anbar since a surprise offensive last December, but this week’s push was particularly worrisome, because for the first time this year Islamist insurgents were reported to have become a major presence in Abu Ghraib, the last Anbar town on the outskirts of the capital.</p>

Fierce fighting has been reported on the outskirts of Baghdad where ISIS militants are attempting to seize control of the Iraqi capital - despite ongoing Western airstrikes against the terror group. The fighting is taking place just one mile to the west of the city, with government forces desperately trying to hold off the militants, who allegedly killed up to 1,000 soldiers during clashes yesterday. ISIS have held a number of towns and villages close to the Iraqi capital since earlier in the year, when government troops melted away following a lightning advance in the west of the country -...

America’s Arabic coalition continues bombing ISIS targets in Syria, but the BBC and Independent both report that ISIS fighters are pushing into Baghdad, the capitol of Iraq. “The Islamic State are now less than 2 km away from entering Baghdad,” a spokesman for the Foundation for Relief and Reconciliation told UK’s the Independent , adding that al-Qaeda militants are bolstering their ranks. The spokesman continued, “ They said it could never happen and now it almost has. Obama says he overestimated what the Iraqi Army could do. Well, you only need to be here a very short while to know...

Fierce fighting has gotten closer and closer to Baghdad, with some reports saying the Islamic State is within one mile of the city limits.

The BBC reports that there has been "fierce fighting" between ISIS and government troops to the west of Baghdad, and intense airstrikes from the US-led coalition against the jihadists. However, "the insurgents have not retreated". "The Islamic State are on the verge of entering Baghdad...Over 1,000 Iraqi troops were killed by them yesterday," warned Canon Andrew White, vicar of Baghdad this morning. "As I said all military strikes are doing nothing. If we ever needed your prayer it is now."