Former Mosul governor: Turkish presence reassures people of Mosul

ERBIL, Kurdistan Region (Kurdistan24) – The former Mosul governor says that if the Mosul liberation operation is not wisely managed, it will lead to the partition of Iraq.

Atheel al-Nujaifi, former governor of Nineveh, in an interview with Kurdistan24 on Wednesday, said that Mosul liberation operation requires an agreement over the administration of the city after its liberation; otherwise, it would lead to further disputes in the country.

Nusjaifi, who was the governor of Mosul when Islamic State (IS) controlled the city, said that defeating IS is an easy task, but the problem lies in the post-IS Mosul where an agreement is required between all  the components of Mosul with the consent of the Iraqi Central Government to give the city its authority to administrate the province.

He warned that if that does not happen and if the disputes remain unresolved, “it would lead to the fracture of Iraq.”

Mosul, the second-largest city fell under the control of the IS in June 2014 after the retreat of the Iraqi army from the city.

Nusjaifi added that any new agreements on the future of Mosul would be in understanding among the components of Mosul especially between the Arabs and Kurds.

Nusjaifi suggested to turn Nineveh Province in post-IS Mosul to a region made of the province of Shingal, one or two provinces in Nineveh Plains, one or two provinces in Talaafar area, another province in the south of Mosul and the city of Mosul as a separate one.

“The presence of Turkish forces near Bashiq ensures the people of Mosul against the violations of some militias,” Nusjaifi said, stating that they have received assurance from the Coalition that the violations committed by militia groups in other areas will not be repeated in Mosul.

Nusjaifi, Sunni politician and Commander of Hashd al-Watani militias, stated that they have high-level coordination with the Peshmerga forces for the Mosul operation.

Editing by Ava Homa