Iraqi forces yesterday fought to eliminate the last pockets of Islamic State (IS) group resistance in Mosul after the prime minister visited the city to congratulate troops on securing victory.
With the militants surrounded in Mosul’s Old City, attention was turning to the huge task of rebuilding the city and of helping civilians, with aid groups warning that the nation’s humanitarian crisis was far from over.
Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi visited Mosul on Sunday and hailed Iraq’s “heroic fighting forces” after months of difficult battles that have left much of the city in ruins.
Photo: AFP
Upon his arrival, al-Abadi’s office said he was visiting “liberated” Mosul to congratulate troops on a “major victory.”
He later said that while “victory is certain,” he was holding off on making a formal declaration “out of my respect and appreciation for our ... forces that are continuing the clearing operation.”
A senior commander yesterday said that Iraqi forces were engaged in “heavy” fighting with the remnants of militants, but that the battle was near its end.
The cost of victory has been enormous: much of Mosul in ruins, thousands dead and wounded and nearly half the city’s population forced from their homes.
The UN has said that 920,000 people fled their homes during the Mosul operation, and while some have returned, the vast majority remain displaced.
“The fighting may be over, but the humanitarian crisis is not,” UN humanitarian coordinator for Iraq Lise Grande said in a statement.
The UN Human Rights Council yesterday said it could be many months before civilians are able to return to their homes.
“It is likely that thousands of people may have to remain in displacement for months to come,” the council said in a statement.
“Many have nothing to go back to ... while key basic services such as water, electricity and other key infrastructure, including schools and hospitals, will need to be rebuilt or repaired,” it said.
Twenty-eight aid groups issued a statement calling for international support for rebuilding efforts and urged authorities not to press civilians to return.
“Remaining insecurity; lack of basic services; explosive hazards contamination; and damage to homes, businesses and public infrastructure — including schools and hospitals — all continue to pose barriers to return,” the statement said.
It also raised concerns for Iraqis still in areas under IS control, including the towns of Tal Afar and Hawijah in the north, and territory in Anbar Province.
“For the expected offensives in Hawijah, Tal Afar and western Anbar, where approximately 150,000 civilians are thought to still be trapped, it is vital that lessons are learnt from pass offensives,” the aid groups said, calling for access to safety and assistance to be prioritized.
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