Iraqi PM: Turkey has to withdraw troops from Iraq

ERBIL, Kurdistan Region (Kurdistan24) – Iraqi Prime Minister stated that his country's forces are advancing in Mosul and Turkish troops must leave Bashiqa base.

During his weekly press conference on Tuesday, Iraqi PM Haider al-Abadi said the terrorist organization is losing significantly as the Iraqi security forces advance in Mosul.

He affirmed that IS's destruction of Mosul’s main bridges on eastern and western sides of the city will not slow down the operation to retake Mosul.

Abadi also stated that “IS gangs are trying to compensate their huge losses in the face of our security forces in Mosul by launching terrorist attacks in other Iraqi governorates.”

Iraqi and Peshmerga forces launched the military offensive to retake the city of Mosul, IS's self-declared capital, on Oct. 17, 2016.

The operation is ongoing as Iraqi troops head toward the central and western sides of the city.

Regarding the relations with Turkey, Iraqi PM said that “We will not accept anything other than the complete withdrawal of the Turkish troops in the Bashiqa base,” stating that “the sovereignty of Iraq is non-negotiable.”

“In his latest visit, the Turkish PM promised that Turkey would withdraw troops from Bashiqa,” Abadi said, adding that “Iraqi-Turkish relations will not improve until the complete withdrawal of the troops.”

Concerning the recent reports of the possible collapse of Mosul dam, Abadi assured people that the risk is low.

“It is the responsibility of the government to take all precautionary measures and to find required solution because the collapse of the dam will be disastrous,” he said.

Mosul Dam, now under the protection of Peshmerga forces, is the largest dam in Iraq and the fourth largest dam in the Middle East.

It is located on Tigris River in the western Nineveh Province, 60km north of Mosul.

The construction of the dam began in 1980 by German and Italian companies and was completed in July 1986.

Editing by Ava Homa