2017/11/02 13:57
Baghdad today _ follow-up
On Thursday, Iraqi forces entered the "maximum alert" combat, west of Mosul, the center of Ninewa province, after the announcement of Baghdad Erbil retreat from the draft agreement between the two sides.
"Rapid reaction forces, federal police, counterterrorism and nationalsecurity forces have taken combat positions in the Zammar area," the official Anatolia news agency quoted military commander in charge of the Iraqi army, Major Abdel-Alah Atrushi, as saying.
He added that "the federal forces received clear orders from the top military leaders that the need to prepare for any emergency may occur, in the coming hours, especially with the return of the worsening situation and the collapse of negotiations between Baghdad and Erbil."
"The forces were waiting for the end of negotiations to agree to move towards the positions, which are still controlled by the Peshmerga forces in the area of Zammar, as well as progress towards the region of Vishkhabur, which includes border crossings with Syria and Turkey.
He pointed out that "the area west of Mosul has seen, since the early morning hours, an intensive maneuver for the aviation path of the International Alliance," explaining that "the Peshmerga in turn continue to move and build new defenses to block the spread of federal forces."
baghdadtoday.news
