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Mosul Offensive News
 Iranian militias continue advance in western Mosul Nineveh (IraqiNews.com) Pro-Iraqi government paramilitary forces advanced Tuesday towards central Mosul from the western gate, further tightening the noose around Islamic State extremists already fighting government troops there. Al-Hashd al-Shaabi (Popular Mobilization Units)said through its media its forces passed through the “Syria Gate” and reached to the outskirts of Mosul from the western side. “The forces are now 15 kilometers away from Mosul,” said al-Hashd media service. Iraqi government forces recaptured eastern Mosul in January and launched an offensive in February to recapture the western region. Al-Hashd al-Shaabi, an alliance of Shia militias fighting IS on the government’s side, have mostly been active around IS strongholds towns near the borders with Syria, especially the town of Tal Afar, west of Mosul. They claimed weeks earlier to have severed the road between Tal Afar and Mosul, as well between Tal Afar and Syria. Iraqi troops are currently working to retake central Mosul districts from IS militants, specifically eyeing the city’s grand mosque where the group’s self-styled “Caliphate” was declared in 2014. Police forces said they were approaching the mosque over the past few days. On Tuesday, the Defense Ministry’s War Media Cell said airstrikes by Iraqi fighter jets destroyed an Islamic State booby-trapped vehicle in al-Seha neighborhood which was meant for detonation targeting security troops. Google Map at the link Iraqi forces capture more facilities in central Mosul Nineveh (IraqiNews.com) Iraqi security forces controlled more government and commercial facilities in central Mosul on Tuesday, while three suicide bombers were killed by the troops, according to police sources. Cap. Amir Watheq, from the Nineveh police force, told BasNews that security forces took over some citizens’ services, commercial and telecommunication facilities in central Mosul after recapturing the Nineveh, Bata and al-Kotob streets. Meanwhile, col. Khodeir Saleh told the website that three suicide bombers belonging to the Islamic State were killed before they targeted civilians in Mosul a-Jadida district. Iraqi government troops launched a major offensive in February to retake western Mosul from Islamic State militants. The troops recaptured the eastern side of IS’s largest stronghold in Iraq in January. Since launching the offensive on western Mosul, Iraqi forces recaptured the city’s government complex, airport and biggest military base from militants, claiming control recently over at least 60 percent of territory. Troops’ commanders said one day ago they became much closer to the city’s grand mosque where IS supreme leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi announced the establishment of the group’s rule in Iraq in 2014. Iraqi commanders had admitted that battles in western Mosul were tougher compared to the east as IS fighters positioned in the middle of densely-populated and narrowly-structured residential areas, relying on snipers and booby-traps to hold off the advancing security forces. Bad weather has also slowed down operations over the past few days and forced troops to change tactics. Google Map at the link Iraqi forces capture more areas in western Mosul Nineveh (IraqiNews.com) Forces from al-Hashd al-Shaabi, backed by the 9th armored brigade and Army Aviation, resumed military operations to reinforce the western side of Badush vicinity and its surrounding areas. According to a statement released by the media office of al-Hashd al-Shaabi, the operations resulted in the liberation of the residential complex, the villages of al-Jadida and al-Damerji al-Saghira and Arheiya area, as well as recapturing a communication system belonging to the Islamic State terrorist group. Furthermore, the operations also destroyed four booby-trapped vehicles, before reaching their targets, in addition to killing and wounding a number of militants by a rocket attack launched by al-Hashd al-Shaabi. Iraqi forces advance towards Iron Bridge [ARA News] Iraqi forces are advancing into the old city of Mosul as they move closer to the Iron Bridge, Pentagon press operations director Navy Capt. Jeff Davis confirmed. “Their line of advance is a little like a triangle,” the spokesman said. “They’re pointed right at the bridge.” Taking the Iron Bridge will mean Iraqi forces control three of the five bridges that span the Tigris River and connect the old city with Mosul’s modern city center. Davis said the location of the Iraqis as they approach the old city is symbolically important, because they are closing in on the al Nuri Mosque, where in 2014 the Islamic State (ISIS) leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi proclaimed himself the head of the so-called caliphate stretching from Syria to Iraq. The Iraqi forward line of troops is in extremely dense urban terrain, which is not easy to get through, Davis pointed out on the 30th day of operations to liberate western Mosul. “Clearly ISIS has had a lot of time to dig in and place house-borne [homemade bombs], sniper positions, tunnels and other things they can do to make this [advance] very challenging,” he said. “Enemy resistance remains very fierce in the narrow streets of the old part of this city.” Davis said the counterterrorism service, federal police and emergency response division continue to make small advances to back clear their sections and defend in place in the western half of the city. As the Iraqi forces close in on the Nuri Mosque, about 900 meters of fighting remain, Davis said: “Its capture will be a blow for the Islamic State.” Experts expect that the Mosul operation could be finished within a few months. Posted by: badanov 2017-03-22 |
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