Army commander says forces ready for Mosul operation

ERBIL, Kurdistan Region- Commander of the Nineveh Operations--an Iraqi army unit set up for Mosul-- Lieutenant General Najim al-Jibouri said Saturday that his forces are trained and ready to launch an offensive against the Islamic State (ISIS), but the timing of the operation is ultimately decided by the prime minister.

“Iraqi security forces are ready to fight for Ninevha, especially within the expected liberation of Anbar province soon,” Al-Jibouri said at a press conference.

The commander echoed Iraqi premier Haidar al-Abadi and other army chiefs that the operation to liberate Mosul from ISIS would start once the western city of Ramadi has been taken back from the group.

“The security forces have finished training and they are waiting for the green light from Haider al Abadi to set the zero hour,” he added.

Al-Jibouri said that the force poised to attack Ramadi consists of Iraqi soldiers, Kurdish Peshmerga and Hashid al-Watani.

Nineveh Governor Nawfal Hamadi, stated last week that prior to any offensive on Mosul military meetings and consultation will be held between local forces and Kurdish Peshmerga and government authorities.

"In preparing for Mosul's liberation several military meetings will be held between the Kurdistan Region Government and Ninevha province.” he said.

Mosul fell to ISIS last year and since then no effort has been made by the Iraqi army to retake the city.

Backed by US air support some 10,000 Iraqi soldiers, policemen and Shiite militia launched a major offensive to retake Ramadi several months after it fell to the extremist group.