The Governor of Nineveh says he's more confident that Mosul can be taken back from Islamic militants, now that a new prime minister is in place in Baghdad. Atheel al-Nujaifi says the time has come to try to take control of Iraq's second city - and has warned that any delay will only "benefit" the Islamic State. Mosul special forces carry out a practice drill. They're training - alongside volunteer soldiers - at the Nineveh Liberation Base in Duburdan, just 34 Kilometres (21 miles) from their former home of Mosul. Islamic militants have controlled the city since June, grabbing it during their lightning advance across northern Iraq. The Iraqi military virtually crumbled when confronted by the group and hundreds of thousands fled the city - mainly heading to the northern Kurdish region of the country. But now, the Governor of Nineveh says they might be turning a corner and hopes Mosul will soon be back in Iraqi government hands. Atheel al-Nujaifi says he's seen a change in attitude since prime minister Haider al-Abadi took office. Al-Nujaifi has helped to organise a large group of hundreds of local security forces and tribal fighters - a majority of them Sunnis - from throughout Nineveh, including police officers from Mosul, who are being trained in a series of camps outside of Islamic State group controlled territory. The forces have received scant support up until now but the Governor hopes that will change with the new government, which he says he doesn't want to "undermine." "There is no doubt that there is a big difference after al-Abadi took power as Prime Minister. There is a big difference now from when Maliki was in charge. I think that Abadi really wants to help the people of Mosul and the governorate of Nineveh," he says. "But until now we haven't received more than promises. We think there are a lot of problems in Baghdad that are preventing us from being supported. The lack of budget and not enough weapons to send by Baghdad." International action has helped. The US began launching airstrikes on the 8 August and has since conducted at least 22 strikes around the city of Mosul alone. Since then, Britain, France, the UAE, Qatar and Jordan, amongst others, have joined the coalition. But Atheel al-Nujaifi says it's as much an ideological battle as it is a ground offensive. He calls on Sunni Arab States to lead the fight. "In regard to Arab countries such as the Emirates, Jordan, Egypt, Saudi, Qatar, and Turkey we need their help and also we need them to step up their fight against the Islamic State's ideology. The war with the Islamic State isn't only a ground war it is also an ideological war. I think that all of the Sunni Arab States must fight the Islamic State ideologically because we face a dangerous situation where the conditions are ripe for these ideas to spread that's why these country must be involved in the war." At home, he will attend the Arab Conference to Combat Terrorism and Extremism, which starts in Irbil tomorrow. It will bring together leading Sunni politicians, governors, and Tribal leaders from across Iraq to discuss how to defeat the militants as well as reversing the groups gains from earlier this year. In November, the coalition conducted a series of airstrikes targeting a gathering of Islamic State leaders near Mosul. A convoy consisting of 10 Islamic state armed trucks was destroyed in the raid. But despite the airstrikes, Sunni militants have continued to carrying out deadly bombings targeting Iraqi security forces and civilians. Sectarian troubles have once again started to bubble to the surface - militias have been formed down sectarian lines and atrocities and reprisals have been allegedly committed by the differing sects. He does however, want one thing made clear. You can license this story through AP Archive: http://www.aparchive.com/metadata/youtube/708cfcf40e5d4cb16f04fd0576360a51 Find out more about AP Archive: http://www.aparchive.com/HowWeWork

• published: 03 Aug 2015
• views: 0