MOSCOW (Sputnik) — The Iraqi military will remain in the city of Mosul, recaptured from the Daesh terrorist group (banned in Russia) as departing would be premature, Brig. Gen. Yehia Rasul, a spokesman for the army’s joint operations command, said Monday.
"There are no plans to withdraw military units from newly recaptured Mosul; it’s still too early for that," Rasul told the Anadolu news agency.
Rasul reportedly said that the local police forces had to increase their security capabilities to be able to eventually assume full responsibility for maintaining order in the liberated city.
According to the military spokesman, the armed forces were working with the Nineveh police command to ensure the security of the liberated areas, after having fought alongside them in the battle for the city.
Mosul was taken back last month after serving as the IS stronghold in Iraq since 2014.
