UAE- Optimistic start to Daesh elimination: paper

ABU DHABI 30th December 2015 (WAM) -- A UAE newspaper has said that the flying of the Iraqi flag above the main government complex in Ramadi marks the military's first major victory over Daesh in 18 months when the terrorists made a shock advance and is surely a huge and optimistic start to the elimination of Daesh.

"The victory has broken the back of Daesh and indicates a positive beginning in the process of liberation of other areas held by it" said The Gulf Today in an editorial on Wednesday.

"The task has not been easy as the terrorists are said to have planted several explosive devices on the roads and in the buildings of the government complex. The terrorists have devastated Ramadi and a return to absolute normalcy may indeed take more time.

"Defence Minister Khaled Al Obeidi had declared recently that Iraqi forces had reconquered more than half of the territory lost to Daesh. The Iraqi forces that took the fight to the terrorists' doors with courage deserve all praise. The army no longer faces any resistance in the city and its main task now is to defuse countless bombs and traps.

"Disturbingly Daesh used civilians as human shields to escape the battle especially when it became clear that their last stand in Ramadi was doomed. The success has visibly propped up more confidence with Iraqi Prime Minister Haider Al Abadi vowing to liberate the second city of Mosul and rid the entire country of Daesh in 2016.

"Of course retaking Mosul would be hard as the region is a mosaic of different ethnic and religious groups lying between Turkey Syria and Iraqi Kurdistan. Nevertheless precision planning confidence and commitment can do the trick.

"It is also good that the United Nations has stepped up its efforts to cut off all sources of funding for Daesh and other terrorist groups including ransom payments no matter by whom.

"With terrorists increasingly employing elusive tricks to raise and transfer funds covering their tracks and leaving little evidence to identify tainted resources the international community must stay ahead of the curve to combat their ploys as UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-Moon recently suggested.

"Many countries have yet to set up the necessary legal regimes and institutions to identify and freeze terrorist assets. The liberation of Ramadi is surely a big victory yet in the fight against Daesh.

"This success will help boost the morale of Iraq's military which collapsed when Daesh took over large parts of the country in June 2014. Daesh terrorists should know that they have no place to hide" concluded the Sharjah-based daily.