Iraq urges to open urgent investigations in Mosul massacre

The joint Iraqi forces are fighting to liberate the districts of Ragm al-Hadid and Wadi Al Ain on the right coast of Mosul. The Joint Operations Commander, Yahya Rasoul, confirmed on Saturday that they still do not know the reasond of the massacre in the old Mosul area on the right side of the city, which killed dozens of innocent civilians, whether it was the result of a bombardment of international coalition aircraft, or the car bombs of elements of ISIS.

Rasoul explained that the information available indicates that ISIS brought large wheels bombs and placed them in the narrow alleys on the right side of Mosul to block the progress of the security forces, pointing out that ISIS used this scenario in most other areas in Mosul.

He revealed that ISIS exploited the complex geographical area of the right side, and detonated many of the car bombs inside the narrow alleys to accuse the security forces of killing innocent civilians.

Iraqi government forces recaptured eastern Mosul in January and launched an offensive in February to recapture the western region.Iraqi troops are currently working to retake central Mosul districts from IS militants, specifically eyeing the city’s grand mosque where the group’s self-styled “Caliphate” was declared in 2014.

Iraqi and U.S.-led coalition generals have admitted that battles in western Mosul were much more difficult due to the region’s high population and the complex structure of its residential areas.

On the other hand, the President of the Nineveh Provincial Council, Bashar al-Kiki, urged, on Saturday, Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi to open immediately investigate in the incident of indiscriminate shelling of unarmed civilians in the new Mosul district, which left 200 citizens killed, as well as his demand the commander of Nineveh operations to clarify the circumstances of the incident to the public.

The member of the Committee on Security and Defense parliamentary, Majid al-Ghrawi, ruled out, in a press interview earlier Saturday, that the international coalition behind the bombing of houses in the city of Mosul last week, indicating that most of the information indicates the involvement of ISIS organization.

Baghdad Operations Command announced on Saturday dismantling two suicide vests, as well as finding explosive devices and hand grenades, west of Baghdad. The command said that the army’s 24th brigade managed to dismantle two suicide vests, in addition to disarming 6 explosive devices. Security forces also discovered a Katyusha rocket, 28 detonators, 3 mortar shells and 3 other missiles, west of Baghdad, the command added.