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Mosul Offensive News
 Iraqi militias receive reinforcements Nineveh (IraqiNews.com) Large troop reinforcements arrived on early Thursday in western Mosul preparing for a new phase of operations by pro-Iraqi government militias against Islamic State militants. A statement by the media service of al-Hashd al-Shaabi (Popular Mobilization Units) said the reinforcements arrived late Wednesday preparing for the “sixth phase” of operations in western Mosul. Last November, al-Hashd al-Shaabi ended a fifth phase of their operations by retaking a military airbase and besieging the strategic IS stronghold town of Tal Afar. But news concerning the militias’ intention to invade the town were conflicting. Fears have been voiced by regional Sunni powers, such as Turkey and Saudi Arabia, that the involvement of the Shia-predominated al-Hashd in Tal Afar’s liberation could result into sectarian consequences with the Sunni residents of the town. Since operations to retake Mosul launched in October, Iraqi forces, backed by an aerial cover from a US-led military coalition, have become in control over nearly 50 out of 84 districts in eastern Mosul, and commanders declared earlier this week they had reached the eastern bank of the Tigris River, which bisects the city. IS still maintains strongholds in the west. Iraqi military media have put the number of IS militants killed since the launch of operations in October at at least 1757. The conflict in Mosul has forced more than 173.000 civilians to flee homes in the city. 6 ISIS troops, including Big Turban die in Mosul airstrike Nineveh (Iraqinews.com) A senior Islamic State leader was killed on Thursday along with companions when their camp was hit in an Iraqi army airstrike in central Mosul. The strike on al-Amel district was carried out based on an intelligence tip-off, according to the defense ministry’s War Media Cell. Federal Police also reported they have killed five IS suiciders after an attempted attack on the forces in Sumer district, which police recaptured earlier on Thursday. Since operations to retake Mosul launched in October, Iraqi forces, backed by an aerial cover from a US-led military coalition, have become in control over nearly 50 out of 84 districts in eastern Mosul, and commanders declared earlier this week they had reached the eastern bank of the Tigris River, which bisects the city. IS still maintains strongholds in the west. Iraqi generals said recently they had reached the eastern bank of the Tigris River which separates the city’s east and west, and hope to recapture the east soon to move towards IS western hideouts. Iraqi military media have put the number of IS militants killed since the launch of operations in October at at least 1757. The conflict in Mosul has forced more than 173.000 civilians to flee homes in the city. Iraqi militia troops capture villages in western Mosul Nineveh (IraqiNews.com) Al-Hashd al-Shaabi (Popular Mobilization Units) recaptured a village in western Mosul from Islamic State militants on Thursday, the commander of joint security operations in Nineveh said. Lt. Gen. Abdul-Amir Yarallah said PMU recaptured the village of Hajaf, south of Tal Abta, and raised the Iraqi flag at its buildings. His announcement came hours after al-Hashd al-Shaai’s media reported the arrival of large military reinforcements to western Mosul as the troops announced starting a 6th phase of operations against Islamic State strongholds in western Mosul. Last November, al-Hashd al-Shaabi ended a fifth phase of their operations by retaking a military airbase and besieging the strategic IS stronghold town of Tal Afar. But news concerning the militias’ intention to invade the town were conflicting. Since operations to retake Mosul launched in October, Iraqi forces, backed by an aerial cover from a US-led military coalition, have become in control over nearly 50 out of 84 districts in eastern Mosul, and commanders declared earlier this week they had reached the eastern bank of the Tigris River, which bisects the city. IS still maintains strongholds in the west. Iraqi military media have put the number of IS militants killed since the launch of operations in October at at least 1757. The conflict in Mosul has forced more than 173.000 civilians to flee homes in the city. 93 ISIS troops now pining for the fjords in Mosul Nineveh (Islamic State) 93 Islamic State militants were killed in airstrikes that targeted areas in eastern and western Mosul on Tuesday, security and local sources told Alsumaria News. A security source said Iraqi army fighter jets killed 90 militants when they bombed the district of eastern Yaramja. They said two cannon-supplied trucks were destroyed in the strike. In western Mosul, a local source said a drone pounded a vehicle driven by Islamic State militants, killing three, including a senior member in charge of the extremist group’s prison in the western region: a Mosul resident who became in charge just two weeks earlier. Iraqi joint government forces, backed by fighter jets and advisers from a US-led military coalition, have been carrying out a major campaign since October to retake Mosul, IS’s last urban stronghold in Iraq which fell to the group in 2014. Forces have recently reached the eastern bank of the Tigris River which bisects the city, becoming in control over more than 70 percent of that area, and hope to move forward to the west, were militants still control several strongholds. Conflict in the city has forced 173.000 civilians to flee to refugee camps, and the existence of civilians has proved to be a remarkable hindrance to a faster pace of operations. Security forces capture Salam district in Mosul Nineveh (IraqiNews.com) We Are Coming, Nineveh Operations Command announced on Thursday liberating al-Salam District in the eastern side of the city of Mosul. Lieutenant General Abdel Amir Yarallah, Commander of Operations, said in a press statement, “Federal Police’s Rapid Intervention Forces liberated al-Salam District in the eastern side of Mosul, and raised Iraqi flag over its buildings.” “The security forces inflicted heavy material and human losses on the enemy,” Yarallah added. Earlier today, We Are Coming Nineveh Operations Command announced liberating the areas of Somer and Saheroun, in the eastern side of Mosul. Iraqi militia group captures 3 villages in Mosul Nineveh (IraqiNews.com) A security source in Nineveh Province revealed that the forces from al-Hashd al-Shaabi managed to liberate three villages in Tal Abta, in western Mosul, and kill several terrorists, Alsumaria News reported on Thursday. The source said, “Forces from al-Hashd al-Shaabi managed, today, to liberate the villages of al-Hayaniyah, al-Tal al-Janoubi and al-Hajaf in Tal Abta area, in western Mosul.” “Security forces also managed to remove improvised explosive devices from the villages and kill several terrorists,” the source further added. Earlier today, security forces liberated al-Salam District in eastern Mosul, and raised Iraqi flag over its buildings. Iraqi forces link up in Mosul BAGHDAD/IRBIL, Iraq: Iraqi forces joined flanks in northern Mosul and drove back Daesh militants in the southeast on Thursday in a renewed push that has brought them closer to controlling the eastern half of the city. Forces from the elite Counter-Terrorism Service (CTS) took control of 7th Nissan and Sadeeq districts, linking up with army troops that had pushed through Al-Hadba neighborhood, CTS spokesman Sabah Al-Numan told Reuters. “This is considered contact between the troops of the northern front and CTS. This... will prevent any gap between the axes which the enemy could use,” he said by phone. “The enemy is now located only in front of the troops, not at their sides.” Al-Numan said more than 85 percent of eastern Mosul was now under control of pro-government forces, up from nearly 75 percent a week ago. Brett McGurk, Washington’s envoy to the US-led coalition backing the Iraqi offensive with air strikes, training and advice, called the link-up a “milestone” and said in a tweet that Islamic State’s defenses were weakening. The campaign to recapture Mosul, Islamic State’s last major stronghold in Iraq and the largest urban center anywhere in the sprawling territory it once controlled, has pushed ahead with renewed vigor since the turn of the year after troops got bogged down inside the city in late November and December. New tactics, including a night raid, better defenses against suicide car bomb attacks and improved coordination between the army and security forces operating on different fronts, have helped forge momentum, US and Iraqi officers say. When it launched the offensive in October, the Iraqi government hoped to have retaken the city by the end of 2016, but Iraqi Prime Minister Haider Al-Abadi said in December it could now take another three months to drive the militants out. Iraqi forces capture 2 districts in Mosul [al-Manar] The Iraqi army and security forces, backed by the mobilization forces and allies, managed on Thursday to liberate Hajaf, Hayane and Tal Janobi villages in western Mosul from ISIL takfiri group, inflicting heavy losses upon its terrorists. Command of “Nineveh, We’re Coming” operations had earlier announced on Thursday the liberation of two other neighborhoods in the eastern side of Mosul. The operations commander lieutenant general Abdul Amir Rashid Yarallah said in a statement that the Iraqi federal police managed on Thursday to liberate Somar and Saheroun neighborhoods. Heavy losses were inflicted upon ISIL Takfiri terrorists, Yarallah said, adding that the Iraqi flag was raised on several building in the two liberated neighborhoods. Tens of thousands of troops launched a huge offensive to retake Mosul, ISIL’s last major bastion in Iraq, and areas around it on October 17. Over the past two weeks, Iraqi forces have overran several districts and reached the Tigris River that runs through the heart of the city for the first time. Mosul is split by the Tigris River, with the east side referred to as the left bank and the west as the right. Posted by: badanov 2017-01-13 |
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