Iraqi Forces Reach 60 Kilometers South of Mosul with Liberation of Qayyarah Center

Iraqi forces successfully entered the center of Qayyarah, one of the largest areas in Nineveh province in northern Iraq, which is located 60 kilometers south of Mosul, on Wednesday morning, September 3. Mosul, the center of Nineveh province, is the second-largest city in Iraq and the largest city still under the control of militants from the Islamic State group. According to AFP, the Joint Operations Command of Iraq announced that military units entered the center of Qayyarah and operations based on pre-established plans are ongoing. This operation is part of preparations for the liberation of Mosul from the control of Islamic State militants. Brigadier General Yahya Rasool al-Zubaidi, spokesperson for the Joint Operations Command, stated that the 9th Army Division, Counter-Terrorism Forces, and local Nineveh tribes, with significant support from coalition fighter jets led by the United States and the Iraqi Air Force, began the liberation operation in Qayyarah on Tuesday and successfully took control of important areas in the region. Al-Zubaidi added that Islamic State militants attempted to halt the advance of our military units by laying hundreds of mines and conducting suicide attacks using car bombs. However, engineering teams associated with the 9th Division neutralized the mines and cleared the way for our forces to advance. Regarding the importance of liberating Qayyarah, he said, 'The significance of liberating Qayyarah is that it can deprive the Islamic State group of one of its most important financial resources. This area contains 63 oil wells and a large refinery, which the terrorist group used to finance parts of its operations through oil sales... Additionally, liberating this area clears the way for our military forces to advance towards Mosul and other cities in Nineveh province.' Al-Zubaidi noted that before the liberation operation began, a wave of people fleeing the area occurred through safe corridors created, and civilians were guided towards these corridors by the distribution of thousands of flyers by Iraqi helicopters. Meanwhile, Brigadier General Najm al-Jabouri, a commander of the Nineveh operations, stated that Iraqi forces are advancing from the west and east of Qayyarah and that the area is completely surrounded. He continued that most of the surrounding villages have come under the control of Iraqi forces. Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi, who previously promised to liberate Mosul from the Islamic State group's control this year, reiterated this promise on Tuesday. Currently, the possibility of mass flight of residents from Mosul as the liberation operation approaches is one of the biggest challenges facing Iraqi officials. The UN High Commissioner for Refugees warned on Tuesday that the Mosul operation could lead to the unprecedented displacement of civilians in recent years worldwide.