Control of Terrain in Iraq: November 20, 2014

On November 14, Iraqi Security Forces (ISF) and the Popular Mobilization Units (PMUs) which include Iraqi Shi’a militias were able to achieve significant advances against the Islamic State of Iraq al-Sham (ISIS) in the strategic town of Baiji in Salah ad-Din province in northern Iraq. Baiji has been under the control of ISIS since June of this year and is also home to Iraq’s biggest oil refinery, the Baiji Refinery which has endured a five-month long ISIS siege. As of today, the ISF and PMUs have cleared the city of Baiji of ISIS but small ISIS pockets are reported to be in the vicinity of the refinery. On November 19, Iraq’s Oil Minister, Adel Abdul Mahdi, visited the Baiji Oil refinery and inspected it and Baiji city is now effectively under the control of the ISF. Therefore, ISW is changing its status.