Iraqi army would be welcomed in Kurdistan, unlike former military: Abadi.

BAGHDAD,— Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi said on Thursday the people of the Kurdistan Region would not react to the presence of the Iraqi army the way they reacted to the former army, referring to the previous regime under Saddam Hussein.

“The current Iraqi army can go to the Kurdistan region and will be welcomed there, unlike the former army, which was not desirable in Kurdistan,” Abadi said in a speech at a ceremony held by the Martyrs’ Foundation in Baghdad.

Abadi added the cooperation between Peshmerga and Iraqi forces in the fight against the Islamic State (IS) has also caused a different view among Kurdish people toward the Iraqi army to emerge.

he Iraqi army and the Peshmerga forces fought side by side in fighting a terrorist organization, so the army can go to the region welcomed,” the Iraqi PM said.

Abadi further said despite opposition from some who were in doubt about the Iraqi army’s capability, they was able to liberate Mosul from IS.

The city of Mosul was declared liberated on July 10 by the Iraqi premier. In total, 80 percent of the city as a whole has reportedly suffered damage or been destroyed by fighting, leaving behind a mammoth task of rebuilding.

What remains in the city are largely rows of collapsed shop fronts and houses ruined from airstrikes and artillery attacks. Faced with this level of destruction, rebuilding seems an arduous task.

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