ISIS militants have now the capacity to bombard Iraqi Army with captured M198 155mm howitzers 150714

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Defence & Security News - Iraq
 
 
Tuesday, July 15, 2014 09:30 PM
 
ISIS militants have now the capacity to bombard Iraqi Army with captured M198 155mm howitzers.
ISIS (Islamic State of Iraq and Syria ) militants have now the capacity to bombard Iraqi army after capturing American-made weapons. During ISIS's blitz across northern and central Iraq last month, the group captured upwards of 52 155mm M198 howitzers.
     
ISIS (Islamic State of Iraq and Syria ) militants have now the capacity to bombard Iraqi army after capturing American-made weapons. During ISIS's blitz across northern and central Iraq last month, the group captured upwards of 52 155mm M198 howitzers.
M198 155mm howitzer of Iraqi army
     
These U.S.-supplied artillery pieces have a range of up to 20 miles and are outfitted with GPS aiming systems. The howitzers' range could place Baghdad, as well as many other major Iraqi cities, squarely within bombardment range of ISIS.

ISIS currently maintains a stronghold in the city of Fallujah, only 40 miles to the west of Baghdad. The group has also made gains to the south of Baghdad in the area Jurf al Sakhar, which is only 13 miles from the Shiite holy city of Karbala.

Fighters from the newly established Islamic State ambushed and destroyed an Iraqi armored column in the western province of Anbar. Islamic State fighters also captured several American-made armored personnel carriers. The ambush highlights the deteriorating state of the Iraqi security forces.

According to the statements from the Anbar Wilayat, the Iraqi Army convoy was attacked in the Khalidiyah area in Anbar province. Although the exact date of the ambush was not provided, the Anbar Wilayat typically publishes photographs of attacks within days of carrying them out.

Several photos show Islamic State fighters opening fire on the convoy as it drives on a dirt road in a rural area of Khalidiyah. The Islamic State fighters appear to detonate one or more IEDs, or roadside bombs, on the armored column that includes US made and donated M1A1 Abrams main battle tanks and M113 armored personnel carriers. At least three M1A1s and nine M113s can be identified in the photographs.
     

M1 Abrams of Iraqi Army destroyed by ISIS militants