BADHDAD
A military operation to regain control of northern Iraq's Mosul city from the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant was discussed Sunday between Iraq’s central and Kurdistan regional governments in Baghdad.
According to Iraqi presidential office, Kurdistan Regional Government President Massoud Barzani and Iraqi Vice President Osama Najafi discussed a plan to liberate Mosul.
Both sides also discussed the status of military camps and security forces around the city.
The Iraqi Kurdish government promised to support Iraqi army in the planned Mosul operation.
They also agreed on many other issues, including a decision to punish some Iraqi tribal leaders who aided terrorists and committed violence against innocent people.
Coordination between Peshmerga forces, military troops and volunteer fighters would be provided by the governor of Mosul Atheel al-Najafi and city council members during rescue operations in the mission to free Mosul, the statement said.
Iraq has been gripped by a security vacuum since June, when the ISIL terrorist group stormed the northern province of Mosul and declared what it called a caliphate in Iraq and Syria.
The U.S. is leading an international coalition that has carried out numerous airstrikes against ISIL in Iraq and Syria since the militant group took over Mosul, in northern Iraq, in June.
