Iraqi forces liberate 40% of old Mosul

The commander of the Iraqi armed forces, Haider al-Abadi, inspected, on Wednesday, headquarters of the anti-terrorism forces, and the 9th Armored Division on the right side of the city of Mosul. The Prime Minister’s media office issued a brief statement saying that Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi arrived, this morning, in the city of Mosul to check on the troops of ‘We Are Coming, Nineveh’ Operations.
 
Earlier on Wednesday, al-Abadi visited a number of the liberated districts in Mosul and listened to the problems of its residents.
 
The Iraqi Joint Forces face considerable difficulties in advancing in old city because of its narrow alleys where military vehicles can not enter, as well as the overcrowding of civilians. A spokesman for the rapid reaction forces said on Wednesday Iraqi forces had liberated 40% of the old city's districts on the right coast of Mosul.

"The federal police and rapid response forces liberated 40% of the area of ​​the old area in Mosul," Major Abdul Hussein al-Ghazi told the press. "The Iraqi forces have recovered this percentage after fighting against IS organization that lasted more than 38 days," he added.
 
"The federal police force and the rapid response are rushing towards Thawra and Zanjili neighborhoods north of the dairy bar," said police commander Major Raed Shaker Jawdat. He added that the federal police shelled gathering of IS leaders in Zinjili neighborhood, killing the first assistant of IS's leader.
 
He confirmed that the federal police artillery also killed the extremist Abu al-Walid al-Tunisi and four of his companions after the bombing targeted their headquarters near the Black Mosque in old city.

The Secretary-General of Peshmerga Ministry, Jabbar Yawar, accused, on Wednesday, the Iraqi government of putting obstacles to the start of the liberation of Hawija province south-west of the province of Kirkuk from the grip of IS organization. "We held several meetings with the Iraqi government and the international coalition forces before launching the liberation operations in the city of Mosul. We asked them to start the liberation of Hawija first, but the federal government refused," Yawar said.
 
He added that the Kurdistan regional government has completed the necessary preparations for the restoration of Hawija, but the federal government to block the start of the process, and see the start after the liberation of Mosul in full.
 
The Deputy President of the Republic Nuri al-Maliki warned, on Wednesday, the existence of plans to target the political situation in the country, while Iyad Allawi, Vice President of the Republic said that all parties should respect the unity of Iraq and sovereignty, expressing full rejection of all forms of harmful regional interference in its national affairs. This came in separate meetings of Maliki and Allawi with the US ambassador in Baghdad.

The Deputy President of the Republic Nuri al-Maliki, warned, Wednesday, there are plans to target the political situation in the country, while the US ambassador in Iraq, stressed his country to stand by the Iraqi people in its fight against terrorism.
 
Maliki’s office said in a statement that during the meeting with the US ambassador in Baghdad, Douglas Allen Silliman, discussed relations between the two countries and issues of common concern, as well as developments on the regional developments and the progress of liberalization of Nineveh province operations.
 
The statement added, "Maliki said that the risk of IS will disappear soon, in light of the significant progress made by the security forces and the popular crowd in Mosul and the rest of the breakers operations."
 
He warned al-Maliki, according to the statement, of "schemes aimed at the political situation in the country against the backdrop of the challenges in the region," he said. “Iraqis reject foreign interference in the affairs of their country."
 
He noted that the unity of Iraq and its people are the safety valve in the face of any targeting, calling on the United States to continue its support for Iraq in the fight against terrorism. For his part, the US ambassador stressed "his country to stand by the Iraqi people in its fight against terrorism.