Jan 6 2016

In the name of Allah, the Gracious the Merciful

I extend my warmest congratulations to the members of the valiant Iraqi Army on the anniversary of its founding, which comes this year amid the joy of victories achieved by our heroes in the Iraq Armed Forces in all their formations, and we congratulate the proud Iraqi people on this occasion, who stand historically alongside our heroic troops that defend our land and sacred places and secure our cities time and again and inflict defeats on the terrorist gang of Daesh.

The Iraqi Army today is a source of pride for all Iraqis as it is from the people and sacrifices for the present and future of this people, and our heroic army which has gone through difficult stages and harsh tests has overcome the odds and stood up strongly and with determination, defending and sacrificing and victorious, and we stand today with pride before a military institution that is strong and professional and able to perform their national duty efficiently and with dedication and mastery and defend Iraq's sovereignty and the dignity of its people, in addition to the significant role of our military heroes in maintaining security and stability, an institution in which all its members enjoy a fighting spirit and unrivalled altruism and sacrifice.

In 2015 you performed well, with your brothers in the police and security services and the counter-terrorism service and the Popular Mobilisation and Peshmerga and the sons of the tribes and volunteers from Iraqis of all backgrounds, and liberated most usurped areas and large tracts of the dear land of Iraq, and this year will be the year in achieving the final victory and Mosul will return Mosul to the bosom of the nation, and all the land of Iraq will be cleansed from the abomination of terrorism and terrorists, with the help of God Almighty.

A tribute to the martyrs of our brave army and injured veterans, and a tribute to the soldiers and officers in the land, air and naval forces and special forces and Army Aviation, and a tribute to all the employees of the Iraqi military in various formations and its different forms, and our hope will remain on you our heroes for further victories and to secure every town and village and area, for peace to prevail throughout Iraq and return all displaced people to their homes safely, and to complete it with all the efforts for building and reconstruction of Iraq, and Praise be to Allah.

Peace, mercy and blessings of God on you

Dr. Haider Al-Abadi
Commander in Chief of the Armed Forces

6 January 2016