- Global Voices - https://globalvoices.org -

ISIS Advances in Iraq Echoed in Bahrain

Categories: Middle East & North Africa, Bahrain, Iraq, International Relations, Politics, War & Conflict

Top Bahrain government officials took to Twitter to show what is being perceived as support for the advances of the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS), a splinter group of the terror organisation Al Qaeda, in Iraq.

On June 11, Bahrain government spokeswoman and Minister of Information Sameera Rajab tweeted [ar]:

I hope to be wrong but there are confirmations that ISIS is a name that is being thrown around in the media as a cover up to silence the will of the Iraqi people for freedom and dignity

Some interpreted this statement as being sympathetic with the extremist Sunni ISIS in its “revolution” against the Shiite-dominated Iraqi government. Following its swift takeover [2] of Mosul, Iraq's second largest city, on June 10, the ISIS has since seized a number of smaller cities and towns and it's troops are marching towards the capital Baghdad.

In another tweet, on the same day, Mrs Rajab said [ar]:

And the events in Anbar might be a revolution against the injustice and oppression that has reigned over Iraq for more than ten years, and the Iraqis are not used to being insulted and they have no patience for injustice

Meanwhile, chairman of the Foreign Affairs, Defense and National Security Committee at the Shura (Consultative) Council, which is appointed by the King, Dr Shaikh Khalid Al Khalifa doubted that the ISIS was in Iraq to begin with. He tweeted [ar]:

The ISIS in Syria kept no prisoners in the last three years, how come they have prisoners in Iraq? is it really ISIS in Iraq?

In another tweet, he pointed the finger at regional and international players with a master-plan to destroy the Arab World and tear it apart, saying [ar]:

Interests intersect: Iran has ambitions in Arab countries and Israel and the US aim to break up the region and turn it into factions. The excuse for the American Iranian cooperation to attack Arabs is terrorism

And in another tweet, Dr Al Khalifa noted:

Iran should be dragged into the wars in Iraq and Iraq shouldn't be left or else the wars will come to the Gulf countries. The best way to defend [yourself] is to attack. May God protect Iraq

However, the only official reaction [7] issued by the country on Iraq concerns the pulling out of diplomats from there “due to the unfolding security situation.”