Middle-east Arab News Opinion | Asharq Al-awsat

Iraqi Army Withdraws Tactically in Mosul | ASHARQ AL-AWSAT English Archive 2005 -2017
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An Iraqi soldier stands next to a detained man accused of being an ISIS fighter at a check point in Qayyara, south of Mosul, Iraq October 30, 2016. REUTERS/Zohra Bensemra


Baghdad- The Iraqi Army resumed fighting in Mosul left coast after a temporary withdrawal, as described by a military Iraqi leader to Asharq al-Awsat. The source, who preferred to remain anonymous, said that this is a “tactical withdrawal that is imposed by the conditions at sometimes, conditions of the battle that has entered a decisive phase in the meantime.”

Iraqi forces withdrew from several towns which were earlier seized as well as other towns due to ISIS fighting back and to avoid loss of souls, revealed the source. “It is true that this delays the outcome of the battle, however it protects our military forces because we are keen to prevent blood-shedding… ISIS is calling us for this battle which represents a suicide to the organization but to us it is a battle of liberation and should be conducted based on correct military bases,” added the source.

The source said that there is no need to make free sacrifices just because the enemy is willing to send more suicide attackers.

The resumption of Mosul operations coincided with the arrival of Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi to leadership of special operations in Nineveh for the sake of checking the battle inputs—this is the second visit since the commencement of the battle of Mosul twenty days ago.

Hisham al-Hashimi, an intelligence adviser to the Iraqi government, told Asharq al-Awsat that despite the importance of the air force in Mosul battle, yet it can’t interfere in some towns in the left coast of Mosul because it can’t differentiate between the enemy and the friend.