Iraqi PM: Mosul Liberation Operation in Final Stage

Rasa - Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi announced that his country's armed forces are now in the final stage of the operation for liberating the city of Mosul in Nineveh province.

News ID: 423998

Date: 30 September 2016 - 23:28

RNA - "We have reached the last phase of seizing back the Mosul city," al-Abadi said on Friday.

The Iraqi prime minister reiterated that Iraq's joint military forces are in full coordination with the Kurdish Peshmerga forces.

Al-Abadi also stressed that all troops participating in the Mosul offensive are from Iraq and no foreigners are among them.

Mosul, the second largest city in Iraq, has been controlled by the ISIL group since 2014. Iraqi forces backed by popular forces are currently preparing an assault to liberate the strategic city.

In relevant remarks on Tuesday, al-Abadi said that Turkey would play no role in the upcoming Mosul operation.

Iraqi Prime Minister said that international military and humanitarian support was needed before an offensive to liberate Mosul from the ISIL, and that Baghdad would decide the timing of the battle

“To begin the Mosul battle we have to get military and humanitarian support from the international community,” Abadi said, adding that “We will set the time to retake Mosul, when our forces are completely ready for that battle.”

Asked whether Turkish troops would play a role, he said they would not, and added that Iraq is not the place for Ankara to wage its battle against the Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK).

“Turkey will have no role in retaking Mosul; and I ask the Turkish forces to leave Iraq. Iraq is not a place for the PKK and Turkey’s struggle,” he declared.

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