No cooperation between Baghdad, Erbil over Mosul offensive

ERBIL, Kurdistan Region (Kurdistan24) – The head of the al-Wataniya bloc in the Iraqi parliament on Friday called upon the leaders in Iraq to make plans prior and after the liberation of Mosul.

Ayad Allawi, head of the al-Wataniya bloc, said in a statement that there should be two short-term plans for the Mosul offensive.

Allawi explained that there should be a plan three months after the city’s liberation, and another plan six months after.

Allawi said that there also needs to be a long-term plan to administrate the liberated areas and provide security and prosperity for the people.

He added that the long-term plan should work to prevent future conflicts between the people and components of Nineveh Province.

“We do not see any serious steps by the Iraqi government to coordinate and prepare the environment during the Mosul liberation operation and post-liberation,” Allawi explained in a statement.

”No efforts have been made to unite forces against [the Islamic State] and support the unity of the country,” he continued.

Moreover, the head of the al-Wataniya said that the reality of political, military, and demographic complexities require preparation of specific factors.

Allawi said that these factors would contribute to victory militarily and politically, including dealing with the case of internally displaced persons (IDPs) to provide the best future post-liberation.

Iraqi Defense Minister Khalid al-Obeidi during an interview with Kurdistan24 in August supported the involvement of Kurds in the Mosul operation.

“All military commanders and the Iraqi government, including me as Minister of Defense, are convinced that the liberation of Nineveh requires high-level coordination with Kurdistan,” he stated.

Additionally, Obeidi revealed that the political leadership in Kurdistan had shown great willingness to cooperate in liberating Nineveh.

Editing by Karzan Sulaivany