川普祝賀伊拉克解放摩蘇爾

U.S. President Donald Trump on Monday congratulated Iraq, its prime minister, and security forces for liberating the city of Mosul from Islamic State.

In a White House statement, Trump said defeating the militant group in Mosul "signals that its days in Iraq and Syria are numbered." He further pledged to "continue to seek the total destruction of ISIS," using an acronym for Islamic State.

Trump said the United States grieves for the thousands of Iraqis who suffered and died at the hands of Islamic State along with the "loss of the heroic soldiers and Peshmerga (Kurdish fighters) who gave their lives."

Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi formally declared victory on Monday in the city that the militant group had declared the capital of its caliphate in Iraq.

Speaking from Mosul's Old City in a speech carried on state television, Abadi said the win is a victory over oppression, brutality and terrorism.

"I declare in Mosul, from Mosul, to all people ure and collapse of the terrorist Islamic State," he said.

Abadi said Iraq still faces challenges, including destroying Islamic State terror cells that still exist in the country and creating stability for the entire nation.

The U.S. military welcomed Abadi's statement but said there are still areas of the Old City of Mosul that must be cleared of explosives and possible ISIS fighters in hiding.

Hours before Abadi's speech, witnesses reported heavy fighting still underway in parts of Mosul.

The commanding U.S. general of the coalition operation in Mosul, Lieutenant General Stephen Townsend, said, "This victory alone does not eliminate ISIS and there is still a tough fight ahead. But the loss of one of its twin capitals and a jewel of their so-called caliphate is a decisive blow."

Islamic State still controls some territory outside Mosul as well as much bigger areas in neighboring Syria.美國總統川普對伊拉克、伊拉克總理和伊拉克保安部隊表示祝賀，祝賀他們將摩蘇爾從伊斯蘭國激進分子手中解放出來。

川普在白宮發表的聲明中說：“摩蘇爾的勝利標誌着他們在伊拉克和敘利亞時日無多了。”他進一步保證說：“我們會繼續努力，徹底摧毀伊斯蘭國組織。”

川普說，美國爲數以千計在伊斯蘭國組織控制下受苦受難和死去的伊拉克人感到悲哀，也哀悼那些犧牲的勇敢的伊拉克戰士和庫爾德戰士。”

伊拉克總理阿巴迪星期一正式宣佈奪回摩蘇爾，對伊斯蘭國武裝力量的戰鬥取得了勝利。伊斯蘭國曾宣佈摩蘇爾是他們在伊拉克哈里發的首都。

伊拉克總理阿巴迪通過國家電視臺在摩蘇爾老城發表講話。他說，這是一次對壓迫、殘暴和恐怖主義的勝利。

他說：“我在摩蘇爾，從摩蘇爾，向所有人宣佈，伊斯蘭國恐怖分子的失敗和土崩瓦解。”

阿巴迪說，伊拉克仍面臨挑戰，包括剷除境內殘留的伊斯蘭國恐怖網點，重建國家穩定。

美國軍方對阿巴迪的聲明表示歡迎，但同時指出，摩蘇爾老城的部分地區還有殘留的爆炸品和藏匿的伊斯蘭國武裝分子需要清除。

阿巴迪發表講話前的幾個小時，目擊者報告說，摩蘇爾部分地區發生了激烈戰鬥。

摩蘇爾戰役的盟軍最高指揮官湯森中將說，“單憑這次勝利並不能剷除伊斯蘭國組織，接下來任務還很艱鉅。但是伊斯蘭國兩個首都之一的摩蘇爾陷落，是對他們沉重的一擊。”

摩蘇爾的陷落標誌着伊斯蘭國在伊拉克哈里發的基本完結。伊斯蘭國組織還控制着摩蘇爾城外的部分地區和鄰近敘利亞境內的的一些地區。