By Abdel Rehim Ali, IOL Baghdad Correspondent

BAGHDAD, March 17 (IslamOnline.net & News Agencies) - Tens of thousands of combatants in more than 30 clans of Mosul “Nenoy” are on alert to defend the city against the forthcoming U.S. invasion.

“All people here hold their breath in anticipation of the coming days’ events. All preparations have been made. Thousands of combatants from more than 30 clans line along the borders to prevent penetration of whatever kind,” Yehia Al-Beguany, head of an Arab clan in Mosul, told IslamOnline.net.

“In every village, trenches are made, barricades are held and the youth takes night guard shifts. We have benefited greatly from the 1991 experiment. We had a frontline. Enemy troops failed to march towards the town due to the resistance of Al-Beguany clan,” he added.

On the number of combatants of his clan, Al-Beguany reiterated, “There are 2500-3000 combatants, 1500 of whom are hard-core fighters who are ready to die and sacrifice themselves for their homeland.”

“There are several families and clans that are training in camps in Mosul, including Al-Herky, Al-Koran and Al-Sergiya. They are Arab and Kurdish families that have one common goal; namely, to defend their homeland.”

Sheikh Shams El-Din Othman Al-Kurky, head of the Kurkish clan, who was on a visit to a training camp, said, “The Americans need nothing but the Iraqi oil in order to control the Middle East region. My clan and I are ready to defend Iraq with our souls, blood and money.”

Replying to a question on the Kurds who deal with the U.S. under the pretext of opposing the Iraqi regime, he said, “Those who support the U.S. are traitors. In the northern Iraq, there are clans that outnumber those traitors.”

“The Kurdish people would like to return to northern Iraq but such minority controls them.”

On the formation of “Jerusalem army”, brigadier Ahmed Khalf Al-Tai’e, on his part, said, “It consists of volunteer laborers, craftsmen and students of different Iraqi classes.”

“We are all ready to defend the heritage of Mosul and Iraq. We won’t permit the Americans to occupy one inch of our land.”

“In 1991, the U.S., together with 28 states, tried to invade Mosul or Nenoy but we defended our homeland perseveringly and their military failed to achieve any progress.

“I was on the frontline and no single soldier dared to progress, as Mosul is always the edifice of victories,” Al-Tai’e added.

All historical sources point out that Mosul was the capital of Assyrians in 1080 B.C. Its name was then “Nenoy”. It has many important monumental and historical areas.

Despite all such preparations, IslamOnline.net correspondent saw nothing of them.

Bashar Al-Mosully, a taxi driver, explained this saying, “Preparations here are different. This is a very vast border region, inhabited by more than 30 Arab and Kurdish clans. Each clan has combatants who promised to defend the town.”

About the U.S.-British air raids, Al-Mosully said, “They are continuous”.

Concerning stock supply in Mosul, nutrition official Tareq Shukr told IslamOnline.net, “Seven months ago, we distributed 2 rations per person monthly; a matter that made available for every family a huge stock, enough for seven months”.