MOSUL, Iraq: Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi has delievered a victory speech in ‘the heart of the liberated Mosul”, congratulating the defeat of ISIS to all Iraqis from all provinces, three years after Iraq’s second-largest city fell to ISIS.
“From here, from the heart of the free and liberated Mosul, by the sacrifices of the Iraqis from all the provinces, we announce the awaited victory to all of Iraq, and the Iraqis,” Abadi said, surrounded by Iraqi and Kurdish military commanders Monday evening.
“I declare the end, the collapse, and the failure of the false terror state of ISIS,” Abadi added.
“This great feast day crowned the victories of the fighters and the Iraqis of the past three years,” he continued.
He thanked every country which provided support to the Iraqis in their fight, but maintained that it was an “Iraqi victory” and that no foreign soldiers fought on the ground.
He said it is now time to start rebuilding the war-torn city, and to clear the city from “the ISIS sleeper cells.”
He said that Iraq is “more united than it was,” while calling for more unity between the people of Iraq.
He finally raised the Iraqi flag , shouting “Long live Iraq.”
