BAGHDAD: Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al Sudani on Sunday ordered for the inauguration of the airport in second city Mosul to be held in June, marking 11 years since gunmen took over the city. After years of fierce battles, Iraqi forces backed by a US-led international coalition dislodged the groups from Mosul in July 2017, before declaring its defeat across the country at the end of that year.
In a Sunday statement, Sudani's office said the premier directed during a visit there "for the airport's opening to be on June 10, coinciding with the anniversary of Mosul's occupation, as a message of defiance in the face of terrorism". Over 80 per cent of the airport's runway and terminals have been completed, according to the statement. Mosul's airport had been completely destroyed in the fighting. Sudani's office also announced on Sunday the launch of a project to rehabilitate the western bank of the Tigris in Mosul, affirming that "Iraq is secure and stable and on the right path". — AFP
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