Iraq's Shiite militias under conditions to join battles to free Mosul: Shiite cleric

An influential Iraqi Shiite cleric said Sunday the paramilitary Shiite units, known as Hashd Shaabi, must be under the command of the security forces if they want to participate in battles to free Iraq's northern city of Mosul from the Islamic State (IS) militants.

Moqtada al-Sadr said it is "necessary that the liberators (of Mosul) to be the army and other official security forces," according to the statement from his office.

As for his own Saraya al-Salam (Peace Brigades) militia, Sadr put several conditions for them to participate in battles to liberate IS-held Mosul, including full coordination with Iraqi security forces, the statement said.

Sadr's comments came amid dispute between some Shiite Hashd Shaabi units and the Sunni Arab residents of Mosul, Kurds and U.S.-led coalition forces upon the former's participation of the battles.

Hashd Shaabi units insist to take part in the long-awaited Mosul battles, while those who opposed it have fears that the Shiite militias might perpetrate in looting and abusing the Sunni residents, which reportedly happened previously in other Sunni cities of Baiji, Tikrit and Fallujah when the Shiite militias participated in liberating them from IS militants.

The argument about who will participate in the battles against IS in Mosul came as the Iraqi security forces and allied U.S.-led coalition forces are gearing up for a major offensive to liberate Mosul, the last major IS stronghold in Iraq.

Mosul, the second largest city in Iraq, has been under IS control for more than two years since the extremist group seized parts of Iraq's northern and western regions in June 2014. Endit