Trump Congratulates Iraqis on Liberation of Mosul

U.S. President Donald Trump on Monday congratulated Iraq, its prime minister, and security forces for liberating the city of Mosul from Islamic State.

In a White House statement, Trump said defeating the militant group in Mosul "signals that its days in Iraq and Syria are numbered." He further pledged to "continue to seek the total destruction of ISIS," using an acronym for Islamic State.

Trump said the United States grieves for the thousands of Iraqis who suffered and died at the hands of Islamic State along with the "loss of the heroic soldiers and Peshmerga (Kurdish fighters) who gave their lives."

Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi formally declared victory on Monday in the city that the militant group had declared the capital of its caliphate in Iraq.

Speaking from Mosul's Old City in a speech carried on state television, Abadi said the win is a victory over oppression, brutality and terrorism.

"I declare in Mosul, from Mosul, to all people the...failure and collapse of the terrorist Islamic State," he said.

Abadi said Iraq still faces challenges, including destroying Islamic State terror cells that still exist in the country and creating stability for the entire nation.

The U.S. military welcomed Abadi's statement but said there are still areas of the Old City of Mosul that must be cleared of explosives and possible ISIS fighters in hiding.

Hours before Abadi's speech, witnesses reported heavy fighting still underway in parts of Mosul.

The commanding U.S. general of the coalition operation in Mosul, Lieutenant General Stephen Townsend, said, "This victory alone does not eliminate ISIS and there is still a tough fight ahead. But the loss of one of its twin capitals and a jewel of their so-called caliphate is a decisive blow."

Islamic State still controls some territory outside Mosul as well as much bigger areas in neighboring Syria.

美国总统川普对伊拉克、伊拉克总理和伊拉克保安部队表示祝贺，祝贺他们将摩苏尔从伊斯兰国激进分子手中解放出来。

川普在白宫发表的声明中说：“摩苏尔的胜利标志着他们在伊拉克和叙利亚时日无多了。”他进一步保证说：“我们会继续努力，彻底摧毁伊斯兰国组织。”

川普说，美国为数以千计在伊斯兰国组织控制下受苦受难和死去的伊拉克人感到悲哀，也哀悼那些牺牲的勇敢的伊拉克战士和库尔德战士。”

伊拉克总理阿巴迪星期一正式宣布夺回摩苏尔，对伊斯兰国武装力量的战斗取得了胜利。伊斯兰国曾宣布摩苏尔是他们在伊拉克哈里发的首都。

伊拉克总理阿巴迪通过国家电视台在摩苏尔老城发表讲话。他说，这是一次对压迫、残暴和恐怖主义的胜利。

他说：“我在摩苏尔，从摩苏尔，向所有人宣布，伊斯兰国恐怖分子的失败和土崩瓦解。”

阿巴迪说，伊拉克仍面临挑战，包括铲除境内残留的伊斯兰国恐怖网点，重建国家稳定。

美国军方对阿巴迪的声明表示欢迎，但同时指出，摩苏尔老城的部分地区还有残留的爆炸品和藏匿的伊斯兰国武装分子需要清除。

阿巴迪发表讲话前的几个小时，目击者报告说，摩苏尔部分地区发生了激烈战斗。

摩苏尔战役的盟军最高指挥官汤森中将说，“单凭这次胜利并不能铲除伊斯兰国组织，接下来任务还很艰巨。但是伊斯兰国两个首都之一的摩苏尔陷落，是对他们沉重的一击。”

摩苏尔的陷落标志着伊斯兰国在伊拉克哈里发的基本完结。伊斯兰国组织还控制着摩苏尔城外的部分地区和邻近叙利亚境内的的一些地区。