© AFP 2016/ SAFIN HAMED
"There are losses, but they are less than what we expected. The numbers of refugees are also less than our initial estimates. We thought there would be a million, but at this moment there are 120,000," Jaafari said.
The operation to retake Mosul from the Daesh (jihadist group has been continuing since October 17. The battle for the city began with 4,000 Kurdish Peshmerga fighters and 30,000 Iraqi soldiers backed by the US-led anti-terror coalition advancing on the city from the east, west and south.
Mosul has been occupied by Daesh, a terrorist group outlawed in Russia and other countries, since 2014.
Outside governments that fund and supply the Daesh jihadists with advanced weapons in Iraq stand behind the terrorist group, Iraqi Foreign Minister Ibrahim Jaafari told Sputnik.
"The Daesh has the capability of states. They fight with enormous financial support. It is no ordinary support, it is the support of governments. Behind them are governments and their budgets," Jaafari said.
Taking this into account and without naming the "known" state sponsors of terrorism, the diplomat stressed that the Iraqi forces are trying to "drain the enemy's strength." Nonetheless, Jaafari pledged to maintain diplomatic ties with these countries.
"We hope that they come to their senses, because the rope that binds them with the terrorists will sooner or later tighten around their own neck. I hope that they will not miss the opportunity to break free from these chains," he stressed.
Iraqi Kurds have no right to redistribute land they have reclaimed from the Daesh jihadist group in Mosul, Iraqi Foreign Minister said.
"The differences between provincial residents is an occasion for dialogue and respect for sovereignty, not reason for exclusion. Nobody has the right to dispose of government lands. All Iraqi people have to abide by this rule," Jaafari said.
Kurdistan Region President Masoud Barzani said last month that the Peshmerga had a "deal" with the United States to remain in the territories reclaimed from the Daesh.
Comment: The US shouldn't be in a position to determine who gets Iraqi land.
An estimated 1,600 Peshmerga fighters are said to have been killed and more than 9,500 wounded since the Daesh swept over large parts of Iraq June 2014.
By: katesisco
the wrangling in Syria was actually about two different agendas. The Syrian government has not recognized the so-called 'independent' states in Northern Syria and the Russians and the US squared off on the issue of a Iraqi oil line to the Med thru the 'independent' states.
Aleppo it appeared was central to this issue.
Now that there is no fallen Aleppo, it will take years to 'liberate' Mosul---4 years probably. I suspect the 'elite' first strike force will be decimated and that 'surprise' will cause a halt and a long term rebuilding to coincide with yet another try at toppling Aleppo. The actual Aleppo 'war' was to keep the focus off of the ROJAVA situation. [Link]
Once the Iran, Turkey, and Syrian interests finish the Russian pipeline thru the 'independent' Syrian states to the Med, this crazy war will become moot.