samarra
Virginia Is for Screamo Lovers
Years after the state became a prolific mecca for hardcore bands, a new generation is now carrying the torch.
The Offensive to Retake Tikrit From the Islamic State Has Stalled — But It’s Not Over Yet
Reporting from the frontlines near Tikrit, VICE News found that the Iraqi government’s early claims of a successful offensive to retake the city were apparently overstated.
Firing Mortars on the Islamic State (Excerpt from ‘Shia Militias vs. the Islamic State’)
In this excerpt, VICE News travels to the front lines near Samarra, to embed with an Iraqi Shia militia on the hunt for fighters from the Islamic State.
Surviving an Islamic State Massacre (Extra Scene from ‘Shia Militias Vs. The Islamic State')
In this extra scene, VICE News meets a survivor of the Camp Speicher massacre, a former Iraqi soldier, who describes in detail how he managed to escape.
The Battle for Iraq: Shia Militias vs. the Islamic State
VICE News traveled to Iraq in December to witness firsthand how Shia militias are taking the fight to the Islamic State, and to document the fallout of their controversial rise to power.
Top Kurdish Commander Killed as Islamic State Launches Surprise Offensive on Kirkuk
Video footage shows a battle for a police base in the center of the northern Iraqi city. Attacks also hit Baghdad and Samarra.
Islamic State Launch Pre-Dawn Assault on Iraq's 'Sacred City'
Samarrra is home to al-Askari shrine, a place of pilgrimage for Shia Muslims, but seen as sacrilegious by the Islamic State, who killed three people in morning attacks on the city.
On the Frontline with an Iraqi Shia Volunteer Force Fighting the Islamic State
Iraq has been forced to rely on Shia paramilitaries to do much of the fighting against IS. VICE News spent time with the Kata'ib Sayyid al-Shuhada, a brigade battling to secure the northern outskirts of Baghdad and the city of Samarra.
Militias Fighting the Islamic State in Iraq Are Accused of Terrorizing Civilians
Shia militias enlisted to fight against the Islamic State are kidnapping and murdering hundreds of mostly-Sunni victims with impunity, according to a new Amnesty International report.