PMF: Military Operations to Liberate Western Mosul Kicks off

Iraqi Popular Mobilization Forces announced on Sunday the start of military operations west of Mosul to liberate the vast territories and restore them from the so-called ‘Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) takfiri group, stressing that the goal behind the operations is to encircle the city completely and to prevent the ISIL infiltration into Syria.

PMF confirmed in a statement the start of the second stage of the major operations on the western axis of the city of Mosul, with the participation of thousands of fighters at Senn Al-Thoban area along three axes, noting that “PMF fighters are moving toward strategic targets to liberate Tal-Afar and other cities.”

The statement noted that PMF battalions are advancing towards the villages west of Mosul to restore them from ISIL, asserting that “so far there aren’t any resistance [by the terrorists], and all the fighting axes are moving towards their targets.”

For his part, Hezbollah Brigades military spokesman, Jaafar al-Husseini, said “the objective behind operations of Iraqi Resistance factions and the PMF in west of Mosul is to complete the encirclement around the city,” underscoring that “they will be assisted by the Iraqi air force exclusively.”

Husseini stated that “speeding up the operation at Mosul western axis aimed at settling the battle and bringing down the US alliance argument to use the same technique which led earlier to the destruction of Ramadi.”

“Our operations, which started west of Mosul, aim to prevent ISIL infiltration into Syria,” he said, stressing the importance of Iraqis standing side by side to face the ongoing challenges.

Source: Al-Manar Website