Cleric blames Talafar deteriorating security situation on ministry
NINEWA, July 20 (VOI) – A Shiite cleric in Ninewa’s Talafar blamed the poor security conditions in the district on the Iraqi Interior Ministry, describing the military operation in Mosul as a “failure.”
“I blame the Interior Ministry’s security agents, Ninewa’s operations command and the police department for the deterioration in the security situation in Talafar district, western Mosul, following a security stability that was restored by the blood of its people,” Mohammed Jawad al-Mousawi told Aswat al-Iraq - Voices of Iraq - (VOI).
Mousawi linked the bad security conditions to “the transfer of 23 of Talafar’s most qualified policemen” during the military operations that took place in Mosul city.
Describing Mosul’s security operations as a “failure,” Mousawi said that the security conditions in Talafar were more stable before the launch of operations.
Iraqi security forces have been conducting a large-scale military campaign since May 10. The operation, codenamed Za’eer al-Assad (Lion’s Roar), aimed at tracking down gunmen in Ninewa province. Five days later, Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki announced the operation’s second stage under the name Umm al-Rabiain (Mother of Two Springs).
On Wednesday, Talafar Mayor Najm Abdullah told VOI that 15 civilians were killed and 94 others were wounded in a car bomb explosion that ripped through the district’s neighborhood of al-Taleea.
Talafar district, Ninewa, lies 60 km west of Mosul city; while Mosul, the capital city of the province, lies 405 km north of the Iraqi capital Baghdad.
SS/SR