Ninewa official opposes joint troops’ presence in disputed areas

NINEWA / IraqiNews.com: A member of Ninewa’s provincial council on Saturday expressed his opposition to a proposal to deploy joint forces in Mosul’s disputed areas. “The provincial council has unanimously voted against the proposal,” Issam Ayed, who is also the leader of the Islah (Reform) Party, told Iraqi News. “We can form security forces from local residents,” Ayed noted. In August, the top U.S. commander in Iraq, Gen. Ray Odierno announced the deployment of joint forces in Iraqi contested areas following a series of bloody bombings that rocked Mosul city and left hundreds of people killed or wounded. Mosul, the capital city of Ninewa province, lies 405 km north of Baghdad. SS (P) 1