USC students rallied together in protest of the current state of Iraq. The Iraqi student organization hosted a protest on Davis field Monday morning. Rally turnout is reported to have been about 50, including Iraqi and American students.
“The Iraqi students are concerned about the country,” said Yasir Alhamadani, president of the Iraqi student organization. “We have family and friends there and some of us have family members in the army.”
Sunni militants have advanced through many Northern Iraqi cities and challenged the U.S.-trained Iraqi army. Many Iraqi army units have found themselves outgunned and at the mercy of the militants.
“Our message in this rally is to support the army of Iraq and ask from all the world to help the Iraqi army,” exclaimed Alhamadani.
The Islamic State in Iraq and Syria (ISIS) is responsible for the violence occurring overseas. Al-Qaida formerly sponsored the Sunni militant group, however ISIS was later disenfranchised for being too extreme. Mind you, Al-Qaida is the very group responsible for terrorist attacks all across the Middle East.
“They have slaughtered hundreds of thousands in the Syrian conflict, and now they are trying to do the same in Iraq,” Alhamadani said.
The crisis in Iraq continues to become unstable as U.S. officials met with Iraqi leaders on Monday. U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry met with officials to discuss the situation; Sunni militants march toward Baghdad in pursuit of a government coup.
According to an agreement between Kerry and Iraq’s prime minister, Nouri al-Maliki, U.S. assistance is guaranteed as of July 1, in order to establish a new government.