The Capture of Nineveh Province
In Nahum 1 in the Bible we read about the burden of Nineveh. This week this ancient city or region was again in the news. The Islamist group Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant (ISIL), also known as ISIS, captured the cities of Mosul and Tikrit which is in the ancient region of Nineveh. Mosul is the second largest city in Iraq. It means the entire Nineveh province fall in the hands of ISIL. The stunning take-over signals the beginning of a new and dangerous stage in the turbulence rumbling through the Middle East in the last three years.
The current developments will impact the whole region and Israel in particular. A radical Islamic Caliphate stretching from Iraq to Syria should be a major security concern to Israel.
Nineveh is an ancient city of Assyria on the Tigris River opposite the site of present-day Mosul, Iraq. As capital of the Assyrian Empire, it enjoyed great influence and prosperity, especially under Sennacherib and Ashurbanipal (seventh century B.C.). The city was captured and destroyed by Babylonia and its allies in 612 B.C.
Stretching from the north of Mosul through Tikrit to the south and toward Baghdad along the Tigris River Valley, ISIL is striving to maintain a continuous line of pressure running through what is practically the northern spine of populated Iraq. The Tigris River Valley contains a number of key strategic energy areas, including the oil refinery near Baiji.
Beyond Iraq, a number of countries are immediately affected by ISIL. The Syrian battle space bleeds heavily into Iraq due to a porous border, accelerated by the almost total collapse of Syrian army border crossing posts. Since January, ISIL has been heavily involved in fighting with more moderate Syrian rebel factions, as well as with Jabhat al Nusra, the official al Qaeda franchise in Syria.
Turkey is especially wary of the potential for attacks by ISIL. Attacks that would exploit the long border that runs from the Mediterranean to Iran. While Turkey has been hesitant to directly send forces against ISIL in Syria, the fact that the Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant has seized large numbers of Turks, including the consulate staff from Mosul, may push Ankara to become more directly involved in the crisis.
Iranian forces already entered Iraq to assist the Iraqi government in their fight against ISIL. President Obama also hinted that the United States may have to get involved, knowing the wider implications for the entire Middle East.
As far as Israel is concerned, the takeover by ISIL has clear implications: There’s a foundation of global jihad forming right at its doorstep, not far from Europe.
At the moment, only Arab regimes are on the front line – Assad’s regime in Damascus, al-Maliki’s regime in Iraq and the Hezbollah-backed government in Lebanon. But later on, Israel might become a main target too.