Sheikh Abdul Mahdi Al-Karbalai
His eminence addressed the following:
Our military forces, and those who supported them including the volunteers, and the sincere tribesmen from Salahaddin, especially the sons of Tikrit, have added another unique victory to the Iraqi victories’ record by liberating this important city from the profanity of Daesh’s terrorism. As we congratulate the Iraqi people and its military forces on the epical sacrifices they made and the courage and heroism they had, and pray to Almighty God to have mercy on the generous martyrs and bless them, and to heal the dear wounded and give them wellness, we also say that, although much has been said about what Daesh’s gangs have done to this city before its liberation, like booby-trapping homes, buildings, and roads, and constructing trenches and fake hills, and other things that some have considered out of the Iraqi military plans’ calculations, and would delay the forces’ advance to liberate the city for quite some time, it has been shown that the military plans had overcame all those field obstacles depending, primarily, on the firm will and the high courage of the heroic fighters who believed in themselves and their abilities and depended on Almighty God to achieve this terrific victory. It will not be too difficult for our military forces of the Army, Federal Police, the volunteers in the PMO, and the sons of the terrains that are still under Daesh’s control, to achieve victories similar to the ones achieved in Tikrit and to succeed in liberating the rest of the lands if they are determined to do that, and if they prepare all the fighting requirements in all aspects. And in this regard, we would like to point out the following:
- The necessity to trust in God and the abilities of our fighters, and to put the right military plans that are based on the participation of the sincere and patriotic tribesmen and the ardent civilians in those areas in the liberation operations. We should not care, after that, about some of the intimidating views that exaggerate the enemy’s abilities and fortifications. The fights for liberating Tikrit, Jurf al-Sakhar, and Balad, have proven vacuum of those organizations and their weakness in front of the Iraqis’ faith and insistence on liberating their lands and defending their honor and sanctities.
- The battle against Daesh’s gangs involves several complications in the regional and international field, and the interests different parties intersect about it. Some people try to utilize this battle to fulfil their own agendas and future political interests in Iraq and the region, thus, all Iraqi parties of different directions and aspirations must look at this battle from Iraq’s supreme national interest perspective, away from the agendas and interests of the others except unless they are associated and consistent with the Iraqis’ interests.
- It is required from the Iraqi government and the military forces and those who support them of the volunteers, that they care very much about saving and guarding the civilians’ properties in the areas liberated, and they should not allow anyone to encroach on them. This subject is a religious, national, and ethical duty that can entice those who have not yet decided to liberate their areas, and make them decide to participate and that is an important gain for everyone.The political forces must realize the importance of their unity of vision under the banner of Iraq, and to achieve its people’s interests in the ultimate salvation from Daesh and the other tragedies their country is suffering from.
- We emphasize once again on the necessity of endorsing the volunteers and issuing the salaries of those who have not received their salaries for months, and supporting the sincere tribes that can be trusted on their national positions and their keenness to their lands and cities, by weapons, ammos, and subsistence to actively participate in in the liberation of their areas, as this is a key role in achieving what everyone aims to, to restore security and stability in those areas after ridding them of the gangs of Daesh.
- The provincial councils, the local governments, and the NGOs, have started to put plans to take care of the martyrs’ families through allocating lands and building homes for them, so may God benevolently award them, and it is hoped that this is accomplished by the Federal Government and the local governments of the provinces and their councils, through speeding the issuance of the martyrs’ families salaries, speeding the formal procedures to finish their applications, putting the plans to endorse their children educationally, healthily, socially, and psychologically, and through providing livelihood opportunities to them by developing special laws for them. Because those martyrs provided a decent and free life for us and the next generations by sacrificing their bloods, and that is why they have great rights over all of us. And it is our duty to fulfil them like it is also our duty to fully endorse the wounded, as it is not fair to leave the wounded suffer with no one to take the responsibility of treating them, especially when the treatments costs are prohibitive. Also, there should be a special care of the disabled wounded who have their disabilities hinder their normal life, to make them feel the value of their sacrifices and altruism towards their country and their people.
