Tension ease, as Iraqi troops gradually withdraw from northwestern Mosul
Iraqi security forces ride in vehicles travelling to Mosul to fight against militants of Islamic State at an Iraqi army base in Camp Taji in Baghdad, February 21, 2016. REUTERS/Ahmed Saad
“Federal Police’s reinforcement, which arrived earlier to Zummar, northwest of Mosul, have started to withdraw gradually,” Lt. Gen. Saadoun al-Dulaimi, of Federal Police, told Anadolu Agency on Tuesday.
Troops were deployed in Zummar last week as confrontations occurred against Peshmerga. The move comes after ceasefire agreement was reached and series of talks took place on redeploying of Iraqi troops at disputed regions and border crossings.
“The withdrawal takes place through few groups with its machinery, while army troops tasked with protecting the region remain,” Dulaimi added.
In related news, Col. Ahmed al-Jabouri, of army’s Nineveh Operations Command, said, “Iraqi troops are still not deployed in Faysh Khabur exit, with Syria, and Ibrahim al-Khalil exit (with Turkey).
On Monday, a Kurdish source was quoted saying that Iraqi and Peshmerga have reached an agreement on running the remaining disputed jointly. He added that delegations of Kurdistan and Iraq met in Faysh Khabur and tackled running the regions that are still under control of Peshmerga in Nineveh like Shaikhan, Sahila, al-Qoush, al-Mahmoudiya, Faida, Koyer, Maqloub and al-Khazer.
The Iraqi flag was raised on the administrative building of Faysh Khabur, an Iraqi source told Petra news agency.
Iraqi Prime Minister Haidar al-Abadi ordered on Friday “halting operations by military troops for 24 hours,” at the areas disputed on between Erbil and Baghdad.