Qassem Soleiman: A name which sent horror in the terrorists’ hearts

Through the
last decade, we have witnessed the rapid expansion of ISIS’ self-styled
caliphate in the Middle-East region. The ISIS terrorists were advancing and
gaining large swathes of territory by committing awful atrocities against the
civilians. But due to the sacrifices made by the Iranian Quds Force, commanded
by the late Haj Qassem Soleimani, ISIS’ reign of terror came to an ignominious
end.

Haj Qassem
managed to organize the Iranian, Afghan, Pakistani and Iraqi fighters into an
effective and unique fighting force which ultimately annihilated ISIS’ dark
regime.

But the story
of liberating Erbil from ISIS’ claw occupies a unique place in the long list of
military achievements gained by General. Soleimani.

It was June
2014 when ISIS terrorists captured Mosul, Iraq's second city, with such an
astonishing speed, while taking control of large areas in the western Iraqi
province of Anbar and inching toward the golden prize, Baghdad. Meanwhile, the
ISIS terrorists besieged the capital of Iraq’s Kurdistan Region (IKR), Erbil.

ISIS’ army was
looming large at the gates of Erbil and IKR’s president Massoud Barzani was
making urgent calls to the American, French, Saudi and the UK officials begging
them to intervene and prevent the fall of Erbil. To the chagrin of Barzani,
they all replied that they could not provide any help at the moment. Totally
disappointed, the Kurdish leader contacted the Iranians and explicitly stated
that unless they don't extend their support, he would order Erbil’s immediate
evacuation. The Iranian Foreign Ministry instructed Mr Barzani to make a call
to Gen. Soleimani as he was the fully authorized representative of Iran in the
fight against ISIS. As soon as Gen. Soleimani became aware of the critical
nature of the situation he was famously quoted as saying: “Kak Massoud
[Barzani]! I only ask you to hold the city just for tonight.”

The very next
day, Gen. Soleimani arrived at Erbil airport in order to personally command Erbil's
rescue battle. Accompanied only by 70 of his forces, Haj Qassem led the Kurdish
Peshmergas and vanquished the ISIS forces and saved Erbil from an imminent
bloodbath.

The fact that
Gen. Soleimani took the command of Erbil’s defence forces resulted in decreased
morale among ISIS’ forces. Later, when being interrogated, an ISIS commander
was asked what caused his comrades to retreat as they advanced with a
remarkable speed. The captive ISIS commander replied: “our informants inside
Erbil reported that Gen. Soleimani was himself took the command of Peshmerga
forces. It destroyed the morale and competency of our men.

Gen.
Soleimani’s name sent tremors rippling through his enemies with a devastating
effect which the battle if Erbil is a good example of.