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Mosul Offensive News
 Iraqi warbirds pound ISIS positions in western Mosul Nineveh (IraqiNews.com) Iraqi and international coalition fighter jets pounded Islamic State locations in western Mosul on the dawn of Friday in preparation for a wide-scale invasion of the region to drive out Islamic State militants. Artillery forces also shelled the region, according to a report by Dijlah TV, which quoted a security force in Nineveh. Besides several other pockets in Iraq, Islamic State militants had held Mosul since 2014 and proclaimed it the capital of their self-styled “Islamic State”. Iraqi government forces, backed by a U.S.-led coalition and popular militias, launched a major offensive in October to retake the city, and operations have so far recaptured the whole of the eastern side and left at least 3300 militants dead. Forces are awaiting a green light from the supreme command to start a ground invasion against the extremist group in the west, which is close to the borders with Syria. The conflict in Mosul has forced at least 191.000 civilians to flee homes to refugee camps, and many of those are targeted by IS extremists while attempting to flee areas under their control. On Thursday, the U.S. army said in a statement that 11 civilians were killed during operations against Islamic State between October 25th and December 9th. Hezbully militia seize villages in western Mosul Nineveh (IraqiNews.com) Paramilitary forces have recaptured three areas in western Mosul on Friday, while government forces foiled an attack on the eastern region by Islamic State militants. Al-Hashd al-Shaabi (Popular Mobilization Units), the alliance of Shia paramilitary troops fighting IS with the government, said Friday they recaptured the villages of Bostan Radif and Um Gharba, as well as the Sherka region. The PMUs had announced earlier on Friday they began a new phase of operations against Islamic State extremists designed to secure roads southwest of the Nineveh Desert region, seeking to cut militants’ supply routes from Hawija, Kirkuk. Meanwhile, security sources told AlMada Press earlier on Friday that security forces, backed by fighter jets from the U.S.-led international coalition, thwarted an attack by Islamic State fighters on the recently liberated eastern region. The militants crossed the Tigris River, which bisects the city, early Friday, and engaged in clashes with security forces deployed in the region, according to the sources. Twenty combatants were killed after intervention from coalition aircraft, they said. Iraqi government forces recaptured eastern Mosul on January 24th after three months of battles. Islamic State is still holding most of the west, and has reinforced its defenses in anticipation for upcoming security onslaughts Posted by: badanov 2017-02-04 |
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