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Mosul Offensive News
 Iraqi forces capture 3 districts Nineveh (IraqiNews.com) Iraqi joint forces recaptured on Tuesday three more neighborhoods in eastern Mosul as operations to retake that region from Islamic State militants approach an end. Abdul-Amir Yarallah, commander of the Join Operations Command’s operations in Nineveh, said in a statement that army forces recaptured Bab al-Shams, Ninawa al-Sharqiya and Souq al-Aghnam (cattle market) area in eastern Mosul. Meanwhile, All Iraq News website quoted Sami al-Aredi, a senior commander of the army’s Counter-Terrorism Forces, as saying that the force invaded al-Mohandessin district, expecting to take full control of it within hours. Iraqi forces, backed by US-led advisers and fighter jets, as well as popular militias, launched operations to retake Mosul last October. The conflict has forced nearly 178.000 civilians to flee homes. Iraqi generals said recently they became in control over 90 percent of the city’s eastern section and hope to move later to recapture the IS-held west. The forces recently recaptured IS’s most outstanding bastion in the east of the city, the Mosul University campus, and had reached the eastern bank of the Tigris River, which cuts the city into two halves. Only a few districts remain in IS militants hold. The victories come amid increasing reports of crumbling in the Islamic State ranks, with divisions, infighting and accusations of treason traded among militants. Conflict in Mosul has forced 178.000 civilians to flee homes in the city to refugee camps, but many of those are targeted by militants upon their escape. Iraqi forces penetrate ISIS held district in Mosul (Reuters) Iraqi special forces pushed into a pocket of Islamic State-held territory in eastern Mosul on Tuesday, the military said, seeking to recapture the remaining districts under the group’s control east of the Tigris river. The militants have been driven out of most eastern districts in their Iraqi stronghold in a 3-month-old U.S.-backed campaign. Iraqi troops have seized large areas along the river, which bisects Mosul from north to south. Capture of the entire east bank, which military officials say is imminent, will allow the army, special forces and elite police units to begin attacks on the city’s west, still fully held by Islamic State. A military statement said Iraqi Counter-Terrorism Service (CTS) forces had pushed into the Eastern Nineveh and Souq al-Ghanam districts, which are flanked by areas held by Iraqi troops. A second statement said the CTS had also seized al-Muhandiseen district, nearly 3 miles further northwest, which lies a short distance from the river. CTS spokesman Sabah al-Numan told state television that more than 60 neighborhoods in eastern Mosul – out of a total of around 80 – had been recaptured since the start of the offensive in October. Advances have gathered pace in the new year thanks to improved battle tactics and better coordination between different military branches, U.S. and Iraqi military officials say. Further south, elite rapid response units of the Iraqi federal police have secured much of the eastern bank of the Tigris. A spokesman for the rapid response forces, Lieutenant-Colonel Abdel Amir al-Mohammedawi, said some Islamic State fighters had fled by boat across the river during the military’s recent advances, taking civilians as human shields so forces could not fire at them. “They fled the eastern bank for the west, and took women and children,” he told Reuters. Islamic State has fought from among crowded residential areas and Reuters witnesses have seen its fighters shoot at civilians in areas they have been driven out of, in apparent efforts to slow the advance of Iraqi forces. Several thousand civilians have been killed or wounded in fighting since October. Advances slowed towards the end of last year as the military sought to avoid hitting civilians, Iraqi military officials say. Iraqi spec op capture 2 more districts in Mosul Nineveh (IraqiNews.com) We Are Coming Nineveh Operations Command announced on Tuesday liberating the areas of al-Numaniyah and al-Atshana, as well as storming al-Jazair neighborhood in eastern Mosul. Commander of Operations, Lt. Gen. Abdel Amir Yarallah, said in a press statement, “Forces from the Counter-Terrorism Service liberated, today, the areas of al-Numaniyah and al-Atshana in eastern Mosul, as well as raising Iraqi flag over their buildings, after inflicting heavy losses on the enemy.” “The security forces are advancing to storm al-Jazair neighborhood,” Yarallah added. Earlier today, We Are Coming Nineveh Operations Command announced liberating the neighborhood of Ninewa al-Sharkiyah, Souq al-Aghnam (Cattles market), Bab al-Shams area and al-Mohandessein neighborhood in eastern Mosul. Iraqi security forces capture 3 districts, Grand Mosque Nineveh (IraqiNews.com) Nineveh Operations Command announced on Tuesday liberating three districts in eastern Mosul, as well as recapturing the Great Mosque in central the city. Commander of Operations, Lt. Gen. Abdel Amir Yarallah, said in a press statement, “Iraqi Counter-Terrorism forces managed, at noon today, to liberate the neighborhoods of al-Jazair, al-Darkezliyah and al-Zera’I in eastern Mosul, and raised Iraqi flag over their buildings.” “The Counter-Terrorism forces also recaptured the Great Mosque in central Mosul, after inflicting heavy human and material losses on the terrorists,” Yarallah added. Nineveh Province is witnessing extensive military operations since October 2016, to retake the city of Mosul that was captured by the Islamic State in June 2014. Iraqi spec ops forces capture districts near Choser River Nineveh (IraqiNews.com) We Are Coming Nineveh Operations Command announced on Tuesday liberating the areas of al-Suez and Sanharib in eastern Mosul, while permanently stationed near Choser River. Commander of Operations Lt. Gen. Abdel Amir Yarallah said, “Forces from the Counter-Terrorism Service managed, at noon today, to liberate the areas of al-Suez and Sanharib,” pointing out that, “The security forces permanently stationed near Choser River in eastern Mosul.” “The security forces liberated all targeted areas and neighborhoods in the axis,” Yarallah added. Nineveh Province is witnessing extensive military operations since October 2016, to retake the city of Mosul that was captured by the Islamic State in June 2014. Posted by: badanov 2017-01-18 |
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