Mosul liberation operation not to take much time

Mahmoud el Sorougi, Spokesman for Ninawa volunteers, expressed belief that the operation to retake Mosul from Daesh control, that was launched earlier on Monday, will not take much time, stressing that all Ninawa clans will take part in the operation.

Iraqi government forces, with air and ground support from the US-led coalition, launched an offensive earlier in the day to drive Daesh out from the city of Mosul, the militants' last major stronghold in the country, with the participation of Peshmerga forces, tribal fighters and volunteers.

The assault on the northern city was the biggest operation mounted by the Iraqi military since US forces withdrew in 2011.

In a TV speech, Prime Minister Haider el Abadi said "I announce today the start of the heroic operations to free you from the terror and the oppression of Daesh." 

"We will meet soon on the ground of Mosul to celebrate liberation and your salvation," he said, surrounded by the armed forces' top commanders.

In 2014, Daesh leader Abu Bakr al Baghdadi proclaimed from Mosul's Grand Mosque a "caliphate" in Iraq and neighboring Syria.

But Daesh has been retreating since the end of last year in Iraq with Iraqi forces advancing and retaking cities that once were in militants' hand.

Source: MENA