LOC09:30
06:30 GMT
By Ala Al-Huwaijel
BAGHDAD, Oct 14 (KUNA) -- As the operation to free Mosul city from the remnant of the so-called Islamic State (IS) nears its crucial point, the parties involved are faced with new challenges.
It is no secret that the Turkish military have been present in northern Iraq and it is directly targeting IS, an act which is creating sort of a fuss on the Iraqi side of things.
The Baghdad-loyal Popular Mobilization Forces (PMF), an armed group of mainly Shia Muslims, vowed to confront Turkish soldiers if and when the two group face each other.
Prime Minister Haider Al-Abadi warned that such confrontation will surely lead to complications in the bid to free Mosul.
Late last year, an armored unit of the Turkish army crossed 12 kilometers into the Iraqi borders in the north on the pretense of training volunteers fighting against IS.
Since then, the Turkish military changed its objectives, opting for direct confrontation against the so-called Islamic State.
Turkey said that its military presence will continue in some parts of northern Iraq to prevent the demography from shifting, a subtle stab at the Shiite-majority PMF.
The PMF blasted the Turkish statements regarding its participation in the Mosul freedom operations, affirming that it would target the Turkish military if challenged.
Baghdad, on its part, did not issue any official statements on the matter; however, Al-Abadi said that regular Iraqi army forces will not go into battle against the Turkish military during operation Mosul freedom.
Similar to Baghdad, the Turkish military had been backing up its own allies, namely the Iraqi national mobilization forces led by politician Atheel Al-Nujaifi who was the former governor of Nineveh Province. Leading the 1,300-man force, Al-Nujaifi blamed the PMF of attempting to change the demography of Mosul city.
Suffice to say, the Mosul freedom operation might be nearing the end, as it was previously announced on various occasions before; however, it remains to be seen whether the parties involved would not "step on each other's toes." (end)
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