Calls for appointing civil governor in Mosul

The member of the Nineveh provincial council, Khalaf al-Hadidi, stressed that the talk about the appointment of a military governor for Mosul is escaping from reality, the city is civil in nature and believes in law and state institutions, and militarized it means the destruction of the future in Mosul.

Al-Hadidi added, in exclusive interview with Arabs Today, that there is a talk circulating about appointing a military governor for the province, but in the case of his appointment, he cannot change the reality of the province.

He said, "Today the security forces and the military are holding the reins in the province, and they have wide powers to make decisions as they see fit, and there is a high coordination with the local government to achieve security and stability in liberated cities from ISIS.

It is not logical to make Mosul a military city today, but we have to convert it into the city believes in peace and community cooperation, al-Hadidi added.

Al-Hadid stated that the military ruler will not be in the favor of the city, where not all the military, throughout history, are good, pointed out that there are incidents of robberies in Mosul and other performed by some military undisciplined soldiers.

Regarding the battle of the right side of Mosul, al-Hadidi praised the progress of the Iraqi forces there, and restoring many sites were controlled by ISIS.

Al-Hadidi noted that the neighborhoods of the right side of Mosul are intertwined with each other and there is a special narrow alleys in the old city, which is different from other neighborhoods on the western side, stressing that the air strikes that targeted the ISIS's members left many civilian casualties.

He noted that the humanitarian situation in the right side of Mosul is very difficult, pointed out to the complete lack of food.

Regarding the accusations circulating in media outlets about the dereliction of the province's council, al-Hadidi explain that there are members of the council participating in the battles, from its beginning, beside the security forces, and they are trying to provide food and medical aid in some areas, but the numbers of displacement people are too much.

He added that Baghdad government does not support the local government, what made the local government and members of the provincial council bought the materials from the available markets on credit at the disposal of the members of the council and the governor of Nineveh, and the federal government provided just 18 billion dinars ($ 17 million) allocated when it launched its operations in Mosul.

Regarding the reality of the left side of Mosul, al-Hadid said that life is returning gradually and the local police controls the security their, adding that they coordinate with US forces and the local government for their support as formal and well-known institution.