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Ninawa police return to the streets of Mosul

By Alaa Hussain in Baghdad

Iraqi police cars patrol the streets of Mosul again after an absence of law of more than two years. [Photo courtesy of the Ninawa police]

Iraqi police cars patrol the streets of Mosul again after an absence of law of more than two years. [Photo courtesy of the Ninawa police]

Local police patrol cars, with their distinctive green colour, are once again circulating in the streets of liberated areas of Ninawa province.

The cars provide a visible sign of the restoration of the rule of law in those areas after more than two years of state absence following the "Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant" (ISIL) incursion.

Flying squad units have been positioned at the intersections of main roads and near houses of worship and public institutions in many liberated cities, including al-Hamdaniya, Hamam al-Alil and al-Qayyarah.

Local police in Ninawa have been able to quickly reform and re-deploy in the province, Mosul district deputy mayor Hussein Ali Hajim told Diyaruna.

"Ninawa police have succeeded in holding the ground under extremely difficult circumstances, with limited capabilities in terms of armament and with support that does not match the scale of the challenges they face," he said.

Local police fought alongside security forces from the areas south of Mosul to its east, he said, adding that they are now entering the city in the form of battalions to help preserve its security and stability.

"We see local police cars patrolling the streets of cities liberated by Iraqi forces in Mosul," he said.

Hajim called on the Iraqi government to provide greater support for Ninawa police by arming and training its members.

This includes reinstating and retraining police with clean records who separated due to the prevailing circumstances but who wish to return to service , he said.

Iraqi police celebrate 95th anniversary

The Ninawa provincial police force recently celebrated the 95th anniversary of the inception of the Iraqi police, said Ninawa province police chief, Brig. Gen. Watheq al-Hamdani.

This is the first time in two years the anniversary has been celebrated in the province, he told Diyaruna, adding that it was observed in the presence of a large number of officers and senior local officials.

The festivity was held in al-Hamdaniya city on January 9th in conjunction with the victories achieved by the Iraqi forces elsewhere in the province, he said.

The celebration of the anniversary of the founding of Iraqi police holds great symbolic meaning, he said, noting that under ISIL, membership in the Ninawa police force alone was punishable by death.

"It is heartening that the anniversary celebration coincides with the victories and achievements made by security units in Ninawa against ISIL ," he added, noting the courage displayed by provincial police officers.

Ninawa police have reorganised their ranks and "are guided by nothing else than their devotion to the homeland", he said.

It is vital that Ninawa police succeeded in opening police directorates and stations in order to restore law and order and normal life to the province, he said, and so that citizens may once again feel safe.

"Some people consider the duties of the police of lesser importance than those of the army, which is a mistake," Kurdistan Democratic Party in Mosul media official Mohiuddin Mazuri told Diyaruna.

Police have a huge role to play in restoring and maintaining security in Iraq, he said, especially under the current circumstances.

"The public is looking to the local police to help them live in dignity and honour," he said, adding that "the essence of their work is to serve people and deal with them according to the law, with respect for human rights".

In carrying out their duties, police are required to place the interests of citizens above any other consideration, Mazuri said.

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May Allah protect all security forces!

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