FNA - Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi urged the ISIL terrorists to surrender as government troops close in on the group’s last entrenchments in Western Mosul.

Al-Abadi, in a weekly press briefing, called upon ISIL terrorists to surrender, promising to grant them “a fair trial” in that case, Iraqi news reported.


“Fighting in Mosul should proceed in a calculated pace,” Abadi said, adding, “Our intelligence capabilities have developed, and we are ahead of the enemy."


Iraqi government forces have become close to retaking Western Mosul and declaring the full recapture of the city that fell in ISIL grip in 2014. The Eastern section was retaken in January.


On Tuesday, Brig. Gen. Yahia Rasoul, the Spokesperson of the Iraqi Joint Operations Command, said Iraqi troops took control over 89.5 percent of territory at Western Mosul, having killed more than 16,000 militants since the launch of Mosul operations in October. Other commanders had predicted to recapture the city before the end of this month.