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Western Mosul Reconquista
 Iraqi forces take over major IS haven in western Mosul, kill 2 senior leaders Mosul (IraqiNews.com) Iraqi government forces took over a major district held by Islamic State militants and killed two senior leaders on Friday as they advanced to liberate the western side of Mosul. The army’s elite Counter-Terrorism Service recaptured Islah al-Zeraee district, an Islamic State bastion in the western side of the city, said commander of the Nineveh Operations, Abdul-Amir Yarallah, in a statement. Meanwhile, Federal Police chief Shaker Jawdat said in a separate statement that his forces retook al-Nour civil hospital as well as a school used by IS militants as a booby-trapping factory south of the strategic, IS-held Old City. He said troops killed Abu Ali al-Basrawi, the group’s so-designated “legal official” for Mosul, Abu Youssef al-Masri, the so-called “sustenance official” and the latter’s aide, Radwan al-Maslawi. According to Jawdat, three other suicide bombers were als killed near Bilal al-Habashi mosque in the Old City. In the northwestern axis of operations, which government forces began to move through last week, the forces continued to engage in fierce encounters at al-Ektisadiyeen district, another major neighborhood adjacent to the Old City. PMUs free five villages in Qairawan, western Mosul Mosul (IraqiNews.com) The paramilitary troops of al-Hashed al-Shaabi have declared recapturing five villages in Qairawan, in west of Mosul near Nineveh’s borders with Syria. The Popular Mobilization Units, which started on Friday an offensive to liberate al-Qairawan region, west of Mosul, announced through its media their advance liberating Tal Ezzo village, in the southeast of the region, Tal Ha’et village in the northeast, Mohamed Zeid in the south, Hozeil village in the east and Tal Banat village in the north. Located in Sinjar, which has a high Kurdish Yezidi majority, Qairawan is a main Islamic State bastion that links between Tal Afar town in the east and Baaj and Syrian borders in the west. Moreover, the troops also declared combing through villages of Tal Ghaza and Um al-Zanabeer in addition to evacuating 1500 civilians in the north of Qayrawan. On Friday, the troops liberated four other villages, killed dozens of IS militants and destroyed several vehicles of the group. Iraqi troops retake another district, kill 14 Islamic State militants in western Mosul Mosul (IraqiNews.com) The Nineveh Operations Command has declared liberating another major district within operations launched by Iraqi troops to free the western side of Mosul. A statement by the War Media Cell quoted commander of the Nineveh Operations, Abdul-Amir Yarallah as saying that troops “fully freed Hawi al-Kanisah region and gained control on the western and southern banks Tigris River in western Mosul.” In related news, a source from the Iraqi army’s elite Counter-Terrorism Service announced encountering suicide attacks by IS militants in western Mosul. “The Rapid Response troops faced a suicide attack in the industrial zone in west of Mosul, which left seven IS militants killed,” Lt.Gen. Ali Mohsen, of the CTS, told BasNews on Saturday. “Two other suicide bombers were killed at the entrance of Islah al-Zeraee district,” he added. “Another bomber and four members were also killed in the liberated district of Mesherfa.” One more district recaptured, civilians wounded in western Mosul Mosul (IraqiNews.com) The War Media Cell has declared liberation of another western Mosul district, as Iraqi troops continue their advance on the northwestern axis. “Federal Police’s Rapid Response troops backed by the army forces have freed al-Harmat al-Thalitha district, in western Mosul,” a statement by WMC quoted Lt.Gen. commander of the Nineveh Operations, Abdul Amir Yarallah as saying. In related news, seven persons were reportedly injured in missile attack launched by the Islamic State militants against two districts in west of Mosul. Six persons were wounded as three Katyusha missiles were fired by the militants against al-Dendan district in south of Mosul, medical and security sources told Shafaq News. Meanwhile, another civilian was wounded by a mortar missile that fell on al-Sukkar district, northeast of the city, the sources added. IS leader, aides, escape western Mosul with millions of dollars in possession Mosul (IraqiNews.com) Four Islamic State members, including a leader, escaped from western Mosul to an unknown destination, with millions of US dollars in their possession, a local source from Nineveh province said. “IS leader in charge of the Diwan Bayt al-mal (treasury) in Tal Afar town (55 KM west of Nineveh province) called Abu Baraa al-Qahtani, disappeared along with three of his aides with millions of US dollars in their possession,” the source told AlSumaria News on Saturday. The sum was allocated for paying wages of the members in Nineveh. “Intelligence information showed that confusion occurred among militants in Tal Afar after disappearance of the leader, who is in charge of distributing the money among the members in all regions in Nineveh,” the source, who preferred anonymity, said. “The stolen money are estimated at millions of dollars. His disappearance means losing the biggest source of funding of the group in Iraq.” Iraqi generals recently said they became in control over nearly 90 percent of the western region and expected to be fully liberated this month. Iraqi jet targeted during operations in western Mosul Mosul (IraqiNews.com) An Iraqi jet was targeted on Saturday while striking Islamic State locations in west of Mosul, the War Media Cell has reported. “While Iraqi army were backing the paramilitary troops during military operations in Tal al-Banat village, one of the jets was targeted,” the WMC said through its media service. “The courageous pilot showed high capabilities while fulfilling his duty and was able to make safe landing,” the statement added. Posted by: trailing wife 2017-05-14 |
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