Sunni militias claim US training 'not sufficient'

BAGHDAD - US-led military training courses for anti-Islamic State tribesmen in Iraq have not been adequate, according to Iraqi Sunni tribal commanders.

"The training courses are short, simple and not sufficient to cope with Daesh [IS] and its vicious tactics," Sheikh Rafiea Abdulkareem al-Fahdawi, the commander of Albu Fahad anti-IS Sunni tribal battalion told Middle East Eye.

More than 1,200 troops and 1,500 advisers from 11 nations have been training 21,500 Iraqi fighters and tribesmen in three six-week training courses that began in August 2014, a Combined Joint Task Force-Operation Inherent Resolve's (CJTF-OIR) spokesperson told Middle East Eye, on condition of anonymity.

Iraqi security forces, backed by the Shia-dominated Popular Mobilisation troops and anti-IS Sunni tribesmen, launched a huge military offensive last week to regain control over Anbar's cities and towns seized by IS fighters last summer.

"To liberate the areas controlled by Daesh, we need special training to deal with booby-trapped houses, earning sniping and monitoring skills," Fahdawi said and added, "we need real and intense training".

The US-led coalition has five training sites in Iraq. These sites are located at al-Assad, Camp Taji, Besmaya, Erbil and Baghdad. In addition, an "advise and assist" mission is taking place at al-Taqaddum in Habaniya airbase to train anti-IS tribesmen, the CJTF-OIR spokesperson told MEE.

Delays and setbacks

Even though the first group of US trainers and advisors arrived to Iraq last August, the anti-IS tribal recruits' training didn’t start until June 2015.

Anti-IS Sunni fighters are being trained by Iraqi military officers, exclusively in Assad and Habbaniyah air bases in Anbar province under the supervision of US-led coalition trainers,  tribal commanders and local police officers who are involved in the training courses, a senior Iraqi military officer serving in Baghdad who wished to remain anonymous told MEE. 

"It's an Iraqi camp and the trainers are Iraqis. The US trainers are coming just to watch. They walk around and leave," Sheikh Naiem al-Gouad, a commander of Albu Nimar tribal battalion whose fighters are stationed in al-Assad Base, told MEE.

"They [the coalition trainers] are staying in an independent camp and showing up when there is ongoing training," Gouad said.

Habaniya military base has hosted the biggest training courses for anti-IS Sunni volunteers so far. US-led coalition security personnel and advisors have also established a special camp separated from the rest of the base's buildings by concrete blast walls, anti-IS fighters and officers.

Tensions with Shia militas

Hundreds of prominent Shia militias' fighters, which represent the backbone of the Popular Mobilisation Forces, have been stationed in Habaniya for several months.

Most of the Shia militias do not trust the international military coalition personnel. Militia members have blamed them for the killing of dozens of Shia fighters who were mistakenly hit by coalition jets six months ago.

The Shia militas Kataib Huzballa-Iraq and Asaib Ahl al-Haq have publically threatened to target coalition personnel as soon as the opportunity arises.   

"They [the coalition personnel] are talking to us, talking to the tribal sheikhs but they don’t ever make contact with the Popular Mobilisation troops," Captain Omar al-Dahal, a local police officer speaking from Habaniya Base, told MEE by phone.

Proposed Sunni national guard

To make matters even more complicated for US training forces, Iraqi military officers have hinted at abandoning the training to form a Sunni national guard.

The National Guard plans on becoming a new security force aimed at being a substitute for the federal Iraqi army, which has been rejected by Iraqi Sunnis in northern and western Iraq. However, the Shia-dominated government in Baghdad sees this as an attempt to create an armed Sunni force that could threaten Baghdad in the future.

Iraqi parliament blocs have agreed to approve the law of the proposed National Guard, but various political blocs have varying opinions regarding the final draft.

"Now, they [the US advisors] are rarely cooperating with us regarding intelligence information, consulting and armament," said the senior Iraqi military officer.    

"They are mainly focusing on the training of the Sunni tribesmen in Anbar. We know that they are working to form the Sunni National Guard which will be similar to the Shia Army and the Kurdish Army," the officer said.