He said Iraq’s most pressing goal is to win backthe vast territory that ISIS has seized in the past year. The Sunni militants seized a third of both Iraq and neighboring Syria and imposed strict Sharia law.
«Especially worrying is the increasing number of reports of revenge attacks committed particularly against members of the Sunni community in areas liberated from ISIL control,» Mladenov said.
Sheikh Ahmed Aburisha is a tribal leader from Anbar province in Iraq, 85 percent of which is under ISIS control. In late January, he visited Washington to urge the U.S. to give his tribes weapons and money so they can defeat ISIS in Anbar.
«Vice President Biden and Gen. [John] Allen have a clear picture of what is happening in Iraq and Anbar and what type of support is needed for the fighters in Anbar,» Aburisha told CBS News’ Jennifer Janisch. «We have received promises and we hope that these promises will materialize in reality on the ground.»