Iraq Police Spokesman Confirms Liberation of Entire Area South of Mosul City

The Iraqi Federal Police was able to liberate the entire southern neighborhood of the Mosul city from Daesh terrorist group, Fares Radi, the director of operations in Iraqi Federal Police, confirmed in a comment to Sputnik on Tuesday.

BAGHDAD (Sputnik) — Answering a question on the timing in which he believes that the Iraqi forces would be able to enter the center of Mosul city, Radi said that this issue depends on different factors that include the strength of Daesh positions in the city.

"Federal police forces managed two days ago to liberate all the sites that were set by the Iraqi Joint Operations Command under the plan which was developed for the liberation of Mosul… Daesh was defeated since the beginning of the operations in southern Mosul," Radi said.

He highlighted that the police forces are waiting for orders from the Joint Operations Command to continue advancing toward the center of the city of Mosul.

Daesh terrorist group has controlled Iraqi city of Mosul since 2014. Iraqi Prime Minister Haider Abadi announced a campaign on October 17 to retake the key Daesh stronghold, with mixed forces of Iraqi army, Kurdish militias and Sunni Arab tribesmen advancing from south, east and north.