Militants of Daesh will not come back to Iraqi Mosul while its residents support the country's authorities, Brig. Gen. Najim Jubouri, the commander of the Iraqi army’s Nineveh Operations, told Sputnik on Saturday.
"We have left the communication [channels] between security forces and citizens and between security forces and the government from the other side. If such communication is preserved, Daesh will not return. And, frankly, people are absolutely against their [Daesh terrorists'] ideas," Jubouri said.
Najim Jubouri also added that militants of ISIL terrorist group could return to Iraq after being defeated in Syria.
"We fear that Daesh defeat in Syria will lead terrorists to return [to Iraq]," Jubouri said, stressing that it was strictly his personal opinion.
Earlier in the day, Jubouri announced the liberation of Tal Afar city from ISIL.
On July 10, the Iraqi authorities officially announced the victory over the Daesh terrorists in Mosul. The operation to liberate it was underway since October 2016.
SPUTNIK/MNA