Thousands of displaced families repatriated at western Mosul: Official
Displaced Iraqis wait to get food supplies as Iraqi forces battle with Islamic State militants, in western Mosul, Iraq March 28, 2017. REUTERS/Suhaib Salem
“According to the timeline, we receive at the western side of the city those coming from camps on Sundays, Mondays, Tuesdays and Wednesdays, while families coming from other provinces are received on Thursdays,” Hassan Youssef, deputy chief of Nineveh immigration department, told Alghad Press on Saturday.
“12,000 displaced families returned back to the city from refugee camps, central and southern provinces as well as from Kurdistan, Turkey and Syria,” he added.
Youssef indicated instructions to “facilitate the return, however, the lack of employees at the department affects the work.”
Iraqi Prime Minister Haidar al-Abadi declared in July victory over IS militants who had held the second largest Iraqi city since 2014. More than 25,000 Islamic State militants were killed throughout the campaign.
Iraqi forces, backed by a U.S.-led coalition and paramilitary troops, have been fighting since October 2016 to retake territories Islamic State had occupied.
Earlier this month, Abadi announced full liberation of Iraqi lands, declaring end of war against IS members. The declaration came after Lt. Gen. Abdul Amir Yarallah, commander of Upper Euphrates and Jazirah Combing Operations, announced liberation of all Iraqi lands from IS.