| The city is a battleground between Sunni Arabs relocated there by the Saddam government and members of the Kurdish minority native to the region. |
Authorities have enforced a vehicle ban in Mosul on Friday following threats from Sunni fighters who distributed leaflets at mosques on Thursday proclaiming the mixed Sunni-Kurdish city a part of an Islamic state declared earlier this month by an insurgent umbrella group, the Mujahidin Shura Council. While the fighters declaration has been viewed primarily as a propaganda move, fighters aligned with the Shura Council have been suspected in recent deadly attacks in Mosul. The city is a battleground between Sunni Arabs relocated there by the Saddam government and members of the Kurdish minority native to the region. |