Trump: Days are numbered for ISIL

WASHINGTON

U.S. President Donald Trump hailed Iraq’s “victory” over Islamic State of Iraq and tLevant (ISIL) in Mosul on July 10, sayinhg that the northern city’s liberation showed the war against the jihadis was being won.

“The victory in Mosul” signals ISIL’s “days in Iraq and Syria are numbered,” Trump said in a statement praising Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi.

“Today Iraqi security forces supported by the United States and the global coalition, liberated the city of Mosul from its longtime nightmare under the rule of ISIS,” Trump said, using another acronym for ISIL. 

“We congratulate Prime Minister Abadi, the Iraqi security forces and all the Iraqis for their victory over terrorists who are the enemies of all civilized people.” 

Trump claimed there had been “tremendous progress” made  against in ISIL: “More in the past six months than in the years since ISIS became a major threat,” he said.

“The victory in Mosul, a city where ISIS once proclaimed its so-called caliphate signals that its days in Iraq and Syria are numbered. We will continue to seek the total destruction of ISIS.” 

Trump made the battle against ISIL a central plank of his presidential election campaign and the justification for restrictions on travelers from Muslim countries.