Iraqi Shiite cleric Moqtada Al Sadr warned on Wednesday that Mosul may fall back into the hands of terrorists if the government remains in deadlock over power sharing.
"Mosul is in danger and terrorist cells remain active there," Mr Al Sadr said on Twitter, adding that the security of Nineveh province, of which Mosul is capital, has deteriorated at the hands of corrupt politicians.
Since Baghdad declared victory against ISIS in December, the group which once occupied a third of the country continues to carry out ambushes, assassinations and bombings and still poses a threat along the Syrian border.
A number of bomb blasts have shattered the relative calm in post-ISIS Mosul in recent months, including a car bomb earlier this month that killed at least five people and wounded 14 others, according to Reuters.
The car bomb detonated near a restaurant in the west of the city. "A terrorist attack via car bomb hit near a restaurant in western Mosul," Iraq's security services said in a statement.
ISIS overran Mosul in 2014, transforming the northern city into its de facto Iraq capital until government forces recaptured it in a nine month battle that culminated in July 2017.
Iraqi Prime Minister Adil Abdul-Mahdi said last week that hundreds of insurgents are trying to cross into Iraq from Syria as Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces carry out an operation to clear the last ISIS-held pocket in Syria.
Mr Abdul Mahdi the extremists are gearing up to recapture territory they lost to the Iraqi military, but the premier reassured the public by stating that "Iraqi forces are carrying out their duties to pre-empt any attempts by ISIS to infiltrate the border and cross into Iraq”.
On Wednesday, Iraqi forces announced that they killed 15 ISIS fighters inside a tunnel during a search operation in the northern Sunni-majority Salahuddin province.
Security forces "have completed a search operation which led to the destruction of two hideouts used by the terrorists and the killing of 15 elements inside a large tunnel," a spokesman for the military's Joint Operations Command said in a statement. It did not say when the incident took place.
ISIS sleeper cells remain active in across Nineveh, Salahuddin, Diyala, and Kirkuk provinces.
The development comes as parliament is in deadlock over corruption allegations, the 2019 budget and the appointment of key ministerial positions such as interior and defence.
Wednesday's session is expected to question the Central Bank Governor, Ali Allaq, after millions of dollars stored in public bank coffers were damaged by heavy rain.
Iraq is ranked 169 out of 180 countries in Transparency International’s corruption perception index.
The new government faces an immense task in rebuilding a country ravaged by the war against ISIS, fierce sectarian infighting and the US-led 2003 invasion.
It will also have to deal with the scourges of corruption, power shortages and decaying public services.
______________
Read more:
SDF says it will resume operations against ISIS in eastern Syria
All aboard for Fallujah: rail link with Baghdad back on track
Three people killed in Mosul car bombing
______________
Infiniti QX80 specs
Engine: twin-turbocharged 3.5-liter V6
Power: 450hp
Torque: 700Nm
Price: From Dh450,000, Autograph model from Dh510,000
Available: Now
Our legal consultant
Name: Hassan Mohsen Elhais
Position: legal consultant with Al Rowaad Advocates and Legal Consultants.
AL%20BOOM
%3Cp%20style%3D%22text-align%3Ajustify%3B%22%3E%26nbsp%3B%26nbsp%3B%26nbsp%3BDirector%3AAssad%20Al%20Waslati%26nbsp%3B%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%20style%3D%22text-align%3Ajustify%3B%22%3E%0DStarring%3A%20Omar%20Al%20Mulla%2C%20Badr%20Hakami%20and%20Rehab%20Al%20Attar%0D%3Cbr%3E%0D%3Cbr%3EStreaming%20on%3A%20ADtv%0D%3Cbr%3E%0D%3Cbr%3ERating%3A%203.5%2F5%0D%3Cbr%3E%0D%3Cbr%3E%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
The%C2%A0specs%20
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EEngine%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Dual%20synchronous%20electric%20motors%20%20%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EPower%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E646hp%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ETorque%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E830Nm%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ETransmission%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3ETwo-speed%20auto%20(rear%20axle)%3B%20single-speed%20auto%20(front)%20%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EPrice%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EFrom%20Dh552%2C311%3B%20Dh660%2C408%20(as%20tested)%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EOn%20sale%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3Enow%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
Cricket World Cup League 2
UAE squad
Rahul Chopra (captain), Aayan Afzal Khan, Ali Naseer, Aryansh Sharma, Basil Hameed, Dhruv Parashar, Junaid Siddique, Muhammad Farooq, Muhammad Jawadullah, Muhammad Waseem, Omid Rahman, Rahul Bhatia, Tanish Suri, Vishnu Sukumaran, Vriitya Aravind
Fixtures
Friday, November 1 – Oman v UAE
Sunday, November 3 – UAE v Netherlands
Thursday, November 7 – UAE v Oman
Saturday, November 9 – Netherlands v UAE
Avatar%3A%20The%20Way%20of%20Water
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EDirector%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EJames%20Cameron%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EStars%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3ESam%20Worthington%2C%20Zoe%20Saldana%2C%20Sigourney%20Weaver%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3ERating%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E3.5%2F5%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
The specs
Engine: Four electric motors, one at each wheel
Power: 579hp
Torque: 859Nm
Transmission: Single-speed automatic
Price: From Dh825,900
On sale: Now
MOUNTAINHEAD REVIEW
Starring: Ramy Youssef, Steve Carell, Jason Schwartzman
Director: Jesse Armstrong
Rating: 3.5/5
The 12 Syrian entities delisted by UK
Ministry of Interior
Ministry of Defence
General Intelligence Directorate
Air Force Intelligence Agency
Political Security Directorate
Syrian National Security Bureau
Military Intelligence Directorate
Army Supply Bureau
General Organisation of Radio and TV
Al Watan newspaper
Cham Press TV
Sama TV
Profile of Foodics
Founders: Ahmad AlZaini and Mosab AlOthmani
Based: Riyadh
Sector: Software
Employees: 150
Amount raised: $8m through seed and Series A - Series B raise ongoing
Funders: Raed Advanced Investment Co, Al-Riyadh Al Walid Investment Co, 500 Falcons, SWM Investment, AlShoaibah SPV, Faith Capital, Technology Investments Co, Savour Holding, Future Resources, Derayah Custody Co.
The%20end%20of%20Summer
%3Cp%3EAuthor%3A%20Salha%20Al%20Busaidy%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3EPages%3A%20316%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3EPublisher%3A%20The%20Dreamwork%20Collective%C2%A0%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
Paatal Lok season two
Directors: Avinash Arun, Prosit Roy
Stars: Jaideep Ahlawat, Ishwak Singh, Lc Sekhose, Merenla Imsong
Rating: 4.5/5