Turkish Prime Minister Binali Yildirim criticized a lack of transparency concerning the upcoming assault on Mosul. While he does have a point that a massive refugee crisis could impact Turkey, Ankara has also been demanding Turkish troops be allowed to participate in the operation. Defense Minister Fikri Isik called on Iraq to keep the displaced civilians with Iraqi territory.
Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi reiterated Baghdad’s demands that Turkish troops leave Iraqi territory, after the Iraqi Parliament voted to reject Turkey’s mandate to remain in Iraq.
The Iraqi government began broadcasting instructions to civilians in Mosul from a radio station in the recently liberated city of Qayara. The information presented should include exit routes, danger zones, and contact information. A Daesh radio station in Mosul was destroyed yesterday.
In a radio address, P.M. Abadi promised Moslawis that “victory is near,” but it is unknown how many civilians could pick up the broadcast.
Sunni tribal forces will be folded into the Peshmerga units before the upcoming Mosul operation, although Peshmerga forces have said they are not participating in the main operation. More than 100 U.S. troops arrived near Qayara on Monday. They are also not participating directly.
An oil official recently killed in Kirkuk has now been identified as Ahmed Abid Mutlak al-Jubouri, son of former Deputy Prime Minister Abid Mutlak al-Jubouri.
At least 144 were killed and seven were wounded:
Shelling by Turkish troops illegally stationed in northern Iraq left two dead and four wounded in Fadiliyah.
In Kuba, a bomb wounded three civilians.
In the Qaim region, airstrikes killed 44 militants and wounded 10 more.
Forty militants were killed in strikes on Anah, Rayhana, and Zuwiya.
In Qayara, a failed attack left 23 militants dead.
Twenty militants were killed in a strike on Kubeisa.
A strike on Hamdaniya left 11 militants dead.
Resistance forces in Hawija shot and killed two militant commanders and a local informant.
In Mosul, an airstrike killed a top militant commander.
