President of the Kurdistan Region Masoud Barzani with Prime Minister Nechirvan Barzani and Security Agency Consultant Masrur Barzani made a press statement in Khazir frontline, where Peshmerga forces give overland support to Mosul operation.

“Today is a historic day” said Masoud Barzani and stated that 200 square kilometers were taken under control within the operation launched this morning with Iraqi army and peshmerga. Barzani added to his speech and said, “We had a meeting with Haydar Abadi a few days ago. Forces that will join to operation have been determined by common consent. Allah willing this operation will result successfully and Mosul will be cleaned from terrorists.”

Barzani said the operation is being held by the alliance of peshmerga forces, Iraqi army and coalition forces and continued, “After long negotiations between military authorities of Iraqi army and peshmerga forces, clean of Mosul plans have been prepared. We hope this cooperation will continue. We believe this cooperation will be need in the future.”

Barzani has answered on the question: ‘will peshmerga stay or move back from the regions they captured’:

“We will stay in regions if it is need to be stay, if no necessary then we will not stay. We have agreement about these regions. I don’t think a problem will occur. Peshmerga will stay in regions where they have to stay according to the collective agreement. Residents of Kakai and Shebek villages will come back to their villages. Current line of defense will remain.”

“It is the first time the blood of the Peshmerga and the Iraqi soldiers has shed against an organization.” said Barzani and those expressions used: “I hope this is going to be a basis for our future relationship with Baghdad. There is a strong cooperation between Erbil, Baghdad and coalition forces. Mosul will be taken but that doesn’t mean the end of terror and terrorism will come. The organization will be cleaned but another worse organization may occur with another name. This is going to be a great skill that showed us we can solve problems cooperatively. We were ready for such cooperation before ISIL but the other side wasn’t ready.”

We will not let Mosul be second Aleppo

“Right along with military plan we would wish for a politic plan to be exist after Mosul liberated. But other sides have rushed. To prevent unwanted events, we have decided to ranking committee to be constitute between Erbil and Baghdad. Committee is alternative of political agreement. We will never let Mosul to be second Aleppo.”

On the question ‘How long operation will take’, Barzani answered, “Cooperated operation perform successfully. War of Mosul will take a long time. It will not end easily. Peshmerga and Iraqi forces will liberate people of Mosul and they will have a new life. Peshmerga will support Iraqi army wherever they need backup. It hard to make out when the operation will end, but we are ready however it takes. Today the terror retreated as a result of great cooperation between two sides.”

ILKHA