MP warns against suspending military operations in western Mosul
Nineveh MP Abdel Rehim al-Shemari
Mosul (IraqiNews.com) Nineveh MP Abdel Rehim al-Shemari has urged resuming military operations to liberate western Mosul, stressing necessity of taking precautionary measures in order not to repeat the massacre that occurred in the residential area in Mosul Jadida neighborhood, west of the city.
He warned that suspending the operations could hugely harm residents of the city.
“What happened in Mosul was a massacre. Investigation authorities should reveal circumstances of the accident without levelling accusations against the Islamic State only,” Shemari told AlSumaria News on Tuesday. “It was the second time that civilians are killed after targeting a Shiite Shrine before operations were launched to retake western Mosul.”
“The Mosul massacre does not mean responding to calls of suspending the military operations, as this would highly harm the people in the city who have been suffering oppression and torture for more than three years and dreaming of liberation,” he added. “Military operations should go on as it represent salvation of the city residents.”
In remarks, Iraqi Parliament Speaker Salim al-Jabouri earlier indicated possibility to suspend the military operations in Mosul, in case killing of civilians resumed, after hundreds of people were killed in western Mosul over the past few days.
On Monday, Prime Minister Haidar al-Abadi said, “increasing allegations of targeting civilians are aimed at saving Daesh (Islamic State) in their final moments and to halt international support for Iraq in its war against terrorism.”
Earlier this month, military, political and administrative sources, in addition to several eyewitnesses in Iraq announced that at least 120-200 persons were killed in airstrikes, conducted by the international coalition aircraft, on Mosul Jadida neighbourhood.
In October, 15 women were killed and 50 more injured after airstrikes hit a Shiite shrine at Daquq, near Kirkuk, after an offensive was launched by Iraqi forces, backed by Peshmerga forces, al-Hashd al-Shaabi, al-Hashd al-Ashaeri and the international coalition air force to drive IS militants out of Mosul.