Iraqi troops transfer their equipment to Mousl Airport 

Iraqi forces transferred their military equipment to Mousl Airport to be the center of their military leadership during the coming phase of operations to liberate the rest of Mousl from the grip of the extremist group. The step comes in the framework of the current preparation for liberating the surrounding areas of the airport.

According to a military source, the Iraqi forces have not left any opportunity for breathetaking to the extremist militias after the liberation of the airport and Ghozlani Camp, adding that the military equipment have been transferred from the city's left bank to the airport immediately after its liberation. It added that the equipment have been distributed to move towards the villages surrounding the airport to liberate them.

He revealed that the Iraqi troops managed to liberate a number of the districts in the neighbouring areas of the airport, including Jawsaq, Tel Al Raman, and Mamoun in addition to Aviation district which includes governmental buildings and Turkish Consulate. The source added that the liberated areas are two kilometres away from the center of Mousl's old city still controlled by the extremist group.

The source added that the group has not resisted the advance of Iraqi military equipment to the airport, as the majority of its members withdrew to the districts of the old city. It underlined the group's intention to resist the advance of the Iraqi troops from these districts using their high population to confront the governmental troops.

It underlined the role performed by the International Coalition to provide full air coverage to the equipment during their advance to the airport. It revealed that the international fighter jets prevented a number of suicide attacks targeting the Iraqi military equipment.

In the same context, Iraqi parliamentarian Mohamed Al Karboli praised the recent victories achieved by the Iraqi troops during the current military operations to liberate Mousl's right bank from ISIS. He stressed the importance of coordination with the International Coalition to achieve the full victory against ISIS in the near future.

On the other hand, the Iraqi political parties have been surprised of the visit conducted by Saudi Foreign Minister Adel Al Jubeir on Saturday to Baghdad. Foreign Relations parliamentary committee stressed that the visit comes in the framework of the current efforts to achieve regional and International settlement, as political sources revealed that the visit comes after political coordination between Saudi and Iraq under U.S sponsorship.

According to Iraqi official,  Jubeir revealed his country's intention to appoint a new ambassador to Baghdad, as the kingdom accepted the request of Iraqi government to change its previous diplomat Thamer Al Sabhan who has been appointed in a ministerial position.

A governmental source told "Arabs Today", that the visit came upon an agreement between the Iraqi government and its Saudi counterpart, while they have not announced it not to allow political parties loyal to Tehran undermine such an important step. It added that the visit aims to bridge the gap of difference between the two countries in the framework of the American vision based on unifying America's regional allies in the Middle East.

It added that the Saudi official met with Iraqi President Fouad Masoum, Prime Minister Haider Al Abadi and Foreign Minister Ibrahim Al Jaffary. He added that they discussed a large number of critical issues, including the current operations against ISIS, the Saudi prisoners in Iraq, and the Iranian intervention in Iraq.

According to a statement from Abadi's office, the Iraqi premiere met with the Saudi official immediately after his arrival to Baghdad, saying that Jubeir was keen to congratulate the Iraqi people on their recent victories against ISIS, expressing his country's readiness to support the stability of the liberated areas.

On his hand, Jaffary welcomed the visit stressing the importance of developing the bilateral relations between the two countries during the coming phase, especially that the visit is the first of its kind since 2003. According to a statement, the Iraqi foreign minister stressed his country's keenness to develop relations with Saudi to confront the common threats.

In the same context, the Saudi official said that his visit comes to restore the bilateral relations between the two countries stressing the neutrality of his country towards the different components of the Iraqi community.

The visit of the Saudi official raised a state of controversy among the Iraqi parties, as a number of political parties described it as a positive step to develop the bilateral relations, while others viewed it as suspicious.

Iraqi Powers Coalition praised the visit of the Saudi official, saying that it came to reflect the deep relations between the two countries and their leading role to achieve regional stability and security.

On the other side, Iraqi parliamentarian Eskandar Watot, of Reform Party, rebuked the visit of the Saudi foreign minister to Baghdad, describing it as suspicious.