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Iraq must beware of US plots in Mosul: Commentator

Monday, 31 October 2016 11:34 AM [ Last Update: Monday, 31 October 2016 11:36 AM ]

An Iraqi forces tank advances towards the village of Ayn Nasir, south of Mosul, on October 29, 2016, during the ongoing battle against Daesh to liberate the city of Mosul. (AFP photo)

The US-led coalition has announced a pause in the operation to liberate the Iraqi city of Mosul right at a time when the large-scale offensive by Iraqi forces and their allied fighters has reached its climax. Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi has said that the obstructive efforts by infiltrators and ill-wishers would not hamper the strides to recapture Mosul. Some Iraqi Special Forces’ commanders have complained that the US-led coalition withheld its support as the Mosul operation was going through its toughest stages. Press TV has spoken to Steven Kelley, commentator and analyst, to get his take on the US stance.

Kelley told Press TV that Iraqi officials and their allied forces should keep a watchful eye on the US-led coalition, which is trying to prevent a complete annihilation of Daesh in Iraq.

Kelley stated, “The Iraqis need to do as much as they can to keep the Americans out of this process” of retaking Mosul from Takfiri terrorists, because the defeat of Daesh is “a very bad scenario for the so-called coalition and those forces that are actually creating and supporting” the terrorist group.

According to the commentator, columns of Daesh terrorists have been allowed to escape Mosul, but Iraqi forces have launched countermeasures to prevent the militants from escaping into neighboring Syria.

He believes that the US-led coalition sees that its plots against both Iraq and Syria are doomed to failure as a result of advancements made against the terrorists in Mosul and Aleppo; therefore, they are trying to save the Takfiri terrorists out of “desperation.”

He noted, “It would appear that Mosul will go down before Aleppo and I’m happy to see that they (Iraqi forces) are making arrangements to stifle the escape of the rats (terrorists) into Syria.”

“Ultimately the fall of Mosul and the ultimate fall of Aleppo will certainly really be the death of ISIS (Daesh)" and that means the end of conspiracies hatched by the US and its allies against Iraq and Syria, he said.

He also mentioned that Iraq needs to keep the Peshmerga fighters out of Mosul in order to prevent the Turks from having an excuse to occupy their territory.

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