Alwaght- The vicious political and military attacks against Iraq’s Public Mobilization Forces (PMF) from different angles have failed to prevent the popular forces from continuing the operation to recapture the city of Fallujah, one of major strongholds of ISIS terror group west of the Iraqi capital Baghdad.
Hadi al-Amiri, the chief of Badr Organization Hadi, a prominent anti-terror force in Iraq, has sent a message to the residents of Fallujah, Al Anbar province's police forces, the local voluntary forces and the tribal leaders, calling on them to contribute to the liberation operation. Al-Amiri also asked Iraq’s Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi to focus on battle for recapture of Fallujah as a priority and refrain from opening a new front elsewhere.
Local popular forces: without PMF, evacuation of the civilians was impossible
The tribal voluntary forces' leadership has held a conference, asserting that without help from the PMF it was almost impossible to evacuate the displaced people of embattled Fallujah in Al Anbar province, adding that any violations during the process were personal and far from being purposely and pre-planned.
The spokesman for the local forces Abu Azam said that liberation of the strategic city of Saqlawiyah near Fallujah by PMF was of great significance, not smaller than liberation of center of Fallujah itself. He added that the terror group received serious impacts in the center of Fallujah following recapture of Saqlawiyah. Abu Azam reiterated importance of liberation of the city, saying that its retaking was as important as reclaiming of Fallujah.
Abu Azam continued that some violations that accompanied the recapture operation were "personal", maintaining that there were no pre-arranged or politically-motivated drive for the violations as safe passages were set up for evacuation of thousands of the civilians.
PMF commander: decision makers should not yield to pressures on Fallujah recapture operation
The commander in PMF Karim al-Nouri has emphasized on the need to avoid strains and dictates during the battle to free Fallujah. Al-Nouri has demanded the decision makers not to bow before the pressures as ISIS terrorist group had begun to count on political initiatives to guarantee safe exit from the city.
Talking to Iraq’s Aletegah TV, al-Nouri has said that the plan to destroy the terrorists and liberate Fallujah was accomplished as it was given to the PMF. The cities of al-Karamah, al-Sajr and Saqlawiyah were liberated and excluded from Fallujah center. The popular forces also advanced almost three kilometers towards the center of the ISIS-held city after they recaptured more than 32 villages. He noted that the PMF hosted thousands of the displaced families from Fallujah fleeing the atrocities of ISIS.
The popular forces have managed to accomplish the set goals very fast, with smallest number of tolls, according to al-Nouri.
The PMF commander also hoped that the others avoid putting strains and imposing dictates in the wake of the third phase of Fallujah territory liberation which only 20 percent of it remained in the hand of ISIS, calling on the Iraqi politicians not to accede to the pressures as the terrorist group is banking on the political initiatives that are supposed to save it from the quagmire it is in now.
Al-Nouri also maintained that there was senseless uproar against the PMF, and even if there were violations, they could not justify leaving the city in grasp of ISIS. He noted that irresponsible remarks could keep the civilians for a longer time under the rule of the terrorists of ISIS.
Tarnishing PMF image not affecting its fighters' morale
The member of Iraq’s parliament from Al-Mowaten coalition Salem Saleh al-Muslemawi has said that the media campaign and the stances of some parties against the PMF and the security forces laid bare their disappointment with realization of their hostile goals against Iraq and its people.
Al-Muslemawi made it clear that defaming the PMF and the security forces would not influence their morale and their continuation of mission to liberate Fallujah from the hold of ISIS terrorists.
Al-Muslemawi also expressed surprise over silence of the sides that lashed out at PMF and security forces through the "biased media" over the violations against the civilians in Al Anbar and other Iraqi cities done by the ISIS terrorists.
Dissonant voices attack PMF as ISIS nears its end
Mohammad al-Sayhoud, a member of Iraq parliament's State of Law Coalition has said that ISIS was a huge terror project not only in military and security terms but also in political and media terms.
Al-Sayhoud has added that the voices that attacked the anti-terror PMF had felt the danger of end of ISIS at the hands of the fighters of the popular forces, so they mobilized their forces and strength against the PMF as military advances and gains kept being made.
"The remarks that come from here and there are not going to keep the PMF and the Islamic resistance from pressing militarily ahead and liberating the last span of Iraq’s territory," asserted Mr. al-Sayhoud.
