28 Mar 2024
Saturday 1 October 2016 - 13:20
Story Code : 233401

Terrorism's aftertaste: 'Political balance' needed to erase Daesh influences

Russia, Iran, and the Syrian government forces are doing their best to create balanced political leadership in the region, which could finally help to eliminate lingering Daesh clout, Iranian political analyst Ghodrat Ahmadiyan told Sputnik.

n an interview withSputnik, Iranian political analyst Ghodrat Ahmadiyan praised efforts byRussia, Iran, and the Syrian government tocreate a political balance, which he said will ultimately add tothe destruction of Daesh (ISIL/ISIS) terrorists.

The interview came amidpreparations bythe Iraqi army and Kurdish Peshmerga forces fora large-scale military operation todrive the terrorist group outof Mosul, the largest city innorthern Iraq.

Ahmadiyan said that information aboutthe Iraqi army's readiness toattack Mosul indicates Daesh's diminishing clout inthe region.

"Daesh is retreating, and Moscow, Tehran and the government troops in Syria are doing everything they can tosupport a political balance that will ultimately allow them toroot outDaesh terrorists," he said. At the same time, Ahmadiyan warned that eradicating terrorism inSyria and Iraq can only be achieved throughfull-fledged political interaction and fruitful public dialogue. According tohim, terrorists continue tobenefit frominconsistency and the lack ofa unified position amongmembers ofthe Western coalition.

"Searching fora political balance inthe fight againstDaesh should now become a priority. Only the balancing ofinterests and the unity offorces inanti-terrorist actions can lead tofinal success," he pointed out. Ahmadiyan said that Daesh still remains a tool forensuring the interests ofindividual countries, and that Daesh terrorists are still used toundermine the unity not only withinthe anti-terrorist coalition, butalso insideSyria itself.

He underscored the importance ofclarity ofthe position and transparency ofthe interests ofall players involved inthe process. "Otherwise, it will be impossible toget rid ofterrorism froma strategic point ofview. Yes, Daesh can be destroyed physically inthe foreseeable future.

But if there is no political consensus, a terrorist mold will inevitably appear again onSyrian and Iraqi soil inthe future," he concluded. Meanwhile, Said Mamuzini, who represents the Kurdistan Democratic Party inMosul, said inan interview withSputnik that a military operation toliberate the city is due tostart "in the first week ofOctober."

According tohim, apart fromthe Iraqi army, taking part inthe operation will be Peshmerga forces which have already liberated several major Kurdish settlements fromjihadists and are now approaching Mosul's borders. Earlier, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said that a joint campaign betweenthe Iraqi army and Kurdish Peshmerga forces toliberate Mosul could begin onOctober 19.

Mosul is Iraq's second-largest city and capital ofthe northwestern province ofNineveh. It has been occupied byDaesh terrorists forover two years and declared the Iraqi capital ofthe so-called Daesh caliphate.

With a government-estimated pre-invasion population of1.5 million people, according tothe Wall Street Journal, Mosul was the second most populous city inIraq and the biggest city tofall toDaesh forces. Once home toone ofthe country's most diverse urban populations, including one ofthe world's oldest Christian communities, Mosul fell tothe terrorists inJune 2014, forcing hundreds ofthousands toflee fortheir lives or face murder, enslavement and rape.

By Sputnik
https://theiranproject.com/vdccx1qis2bq108.-ya2.html
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