Information | ||
Derechos | Equipo Nizkor
|
11Nov15
Iraqi deputies call for stepping up coalition's actions against IS in Iraq — MP
Iraq's parliamentary delegation has called on the international coalition to intensify actions against the Islamic State terrorist organization (banned in Russia), Alexey Pushkov, the head of the Russian State Duma (lower house of parliament) Committee for Foreign Affairs, told TASS on Wednesday.
Pushkov met members of the Iraqi delegation led by Hakim al-Zamili, the head of the Iraqi parliament's Defense and Security Committee, on Wednesday. "Syria and Iraq are a territory, which does not have any natural obstacles in the form of mountains or rivers and the task of fighting the ISIS (the Islamic State's former name) suggests actions in Syria and Iraq. Otherwise, if the IS forces start suffering a defeat in Syria, they can easily use the deserted territory to cross into Iraq and find shelter there," Pushkov quoted the Iraqi deputies as saying.
The Iraqi deputies believe that the military operation should be conducted not only in the territory of Syria. The international coalition, which has also pledged to fight the IS in Iraq, should seriously step up its activities, Pushkov said.
"They (the Iraqi deputies) also said that it was necessary to act from both sides: while Russia is carrying out a successful military operation in Syria, it is necessary for the international coalition to intensify its actions against IS in Iraq. Otherwise, the IS militants who are suffering a defeat in Syria can simply cross into Iraq and then return to Syria again. In that case, the problem will remain unresolved," the head of the Russian State Duma Committee said.
According to Pushkov, nobody in Russia and Iraq has clear understanding of how seriously the United States is interested in fighting the Islamic State. "Until recently, the international coalition has been passive and inert in fighting the IS. Naturally, it is a source of concern for the Iraqi side because the Islamic State has seized a number of major cities in Iraq and four Iraqi provinces," Pushkov explained.
Members of the Iraqi delegation also told Pushkov that Russia's military operation in Syria had raised the combat spirit of the Iraqi army, which was demoralized by the Islamic State (IS) offensive last summer.
The Iraqi delegation's head, Hakim al-Zamili, stressed that Iraq had welcomed Russia's actions in Syria and that according to Iraq's information, they have helped destroying a considerable number of terrorists in Syria, Pushkov told TASS.
"The Russian military operation has fundamentally changed the balance of forces in this country," Pushkov said commenting the words of his Iraqi colleague.
"Besides, it was stressed that Russia's actions in Syria had boosted the Iraqi army's moral spirit, which dropped rather low after the IS summer offensive and particularly after the loss of the city of Mosul with a population of three million people," Pushkov stressed noting that the Iraqi deputies had praised Russia's military successes in Syria and said that they had produced a positive impact on the mood and combat spirit of the Iraqi army. It turns out that Russia's military operation has influenced the balance of forces inside Iraq, Pushkov stressed.
Russian military operation in Syria raises Iraqi army's combat spirit
Russia's military operation in Syria has raised the combat spirit of the Iraqi army, which was demoralized by the Islamic State (IS) offensive last summer, members of an Iraqi parliamentary delegation said.
The Iraqi delegation's head Hakim al-Zamili, the head of the Iraqi parliament's Defense and Security Committee, stressed that Iraq had welcomed Russia's actions in Syria and that according to Iraq's information, they have helped destroying a considerable number of terrorists in Syria, Pushkov told TASS.
"The Russian military operation has fundamentally changed the balance of forces in this country," Pushkov said commenting the words of his Iraqi colleague.
"Besides, it was stressed that Russia's actions in Syria had boosted the Iraqi army's moral spirit, which dropped rather low after the IS summer offensive and particularly after the loss of the city of Mosul with a population of three million people," Pushkov stressed noting that the Iraqi deputies had praised Russia's military successes in Syria and said that they had produced a positive impact on the mood and combat spirit of the Iraqi army. It turns out that Russia's military operation has influenced the balance of forces inside Iraq, Pushkov stressed.
[Source: Itar Tass, Moscow, 11Nov15]
This document has been published on 12Nov15 by the Equipo Nizkor and Derechos Human Rights. In accordance with Title 17 U.S.C. Section 107, this material is distributed without profit to those who have expressed a prior interest in receiving the included information for research and educational purposes. |