Hashd Shaabi Can Help Fighting ISIL in Syria after Cleansing Iraq: Maliki

Vice President Nouri Maliki said that volunteer forces fighting against ISIL Takfiris in Iraq can help in combating the terrorist group in Syria after defeating it in Iraq.

In a press conference in Tehran on Monday, Maliki said Hashd al-Shaabi, the Iraqi Popular Mobilization Forces (PMF), may provide their help in Syria after cleansing Iraq from the Takfiri insurgents.

“If we can be successful against Daesh and liberate our soil, we can go into Syria if our brothers there need help against Daesh,” Maliki said, using the Arabic acronym of ISIL.

Meanwhile, the former Iraqi PM rejected possibilities of a Mosul division after defeating ISIL.

“The city is home to diverse ethnic and religious groups, including no less important Kurdish elements as well. There is real concerns on the prospects of the city after defeat of ISIL and many countries see the city as an option for their expansionist policies. Currently, the active political forces in Iraq are working to fashion a sort of political unity for the city,” Maliki told journalists as quoted by Anadolu news agency.

Before visiting Tehran, Maliki emphasized that Iraqi security forces along with fighters from Popular Mobilization Units and Kurdish Peshmerga are resolute to put an end to ISIL’s presence in Mosul and eventually eliminate the terrorists from the Iraqi soil.

Iraqi army soldiers, supported by pro-government Popular Mobilization Units (commonly known by the Arabic name Hashd al-Sha’abi) and Kurdish Peshmerga, launched a joint operation on October 17 to retake Mosul from Daesh terrorists.

The Iraqi forces’ advance has, however, been slowed down due to the presence of hundreds of thousands of civilians, many of whom are prevented from leaving Mosul by ISIL terrorists.