Iraq:

ISIL's Ring Leader Dismisses Iraqi Commanders in Mosul Battlefields

Rasa - Chief of ISIL terrorist group, Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, has relieved the group's Iraqi commanders from their duties in Mosul, a local source disclosed on Saturday.

News ID: 427876

Date: 04 March 2017 - 22:16

RNA - The source in Nineveh province said that Al-Baghdadi has issued an order to dismiss all commanders who an Iraqi national as the final battle over West Mosul starts.

The source added that Al-Baghdadi has appointed non-Iraqi commanders to shoulder the task of defending the terrorist group in the Mosul neighborhoods still under ISIL's control.

"Al-Baghdadi does not trust his Iraqi commanders, specially after ISIL's recent defeats and loss of their defense lines in the battle in Western Mosul," the source who requested anonymity said.

A local source in Nineveh informed earlier today that more than 20 checkpoints belonging to the ISIL, West of Mosul, disappeared in few hours.

“More than 20 checkpoints belonging to the ISIL in the areas of al-Zera’i and Bab al-Taub, West of Mosul, disappeared along with their members in few hours,” the source said, Iraqi News reported.

“The disappearance of the checkpoints reflects the internal collapse of the extremist group, that started to appear obviously with the start of the battle to liberate Western Mosul,” the source added on condition of anonymity.

The battle to liberate Western Mosul was launched in 19 February 2017, after the announcement of Prime Minister and General Commander of Armed Forces Haider al-Abadi.

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