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Western Mosul Reconquest
 Twenty Islamic State members killed sneaking into Mosul bridge Mosul (IraqiNews.com) Twenty Islamic State members were killed trying to reach an old bridge in Mosul, an officer was quoted saying Sunday as security operations near a total recapture of the group’s largest stronghold in Iraq. Brig. Gen. Mohamed Jubouri, from the Iraqi Joint Operations Command, said the twenty militants killed included senior leaders of Arab nationalities as well as Western nationals. They were bound to a security deployment near the Old Bridge, said the officer. Federal Police: plan in the works for the invasion of Mosul’s Old City Mosul (IraqiNews.com) Iraqi Federal Police forces are working on a combat plan for the invasion of the Islamic State-held Old City as operations reach the final stage to retake the city. Deputy Federal Police commander, Maj. Gen. Jaafar al-Battat, was quoted Sunday saying in statements the density of the civilian population in the area had obliged the delay of the invasion until districts overlooking it from the northwest are retaken. Only four districts are left under Islamic State militants’ control in western Mosul : the Old City: Zanjili, al-Shifaa and al-Sihha, according to Battat, who added that the Old City has recently seen an increase in militants numbers as many sought refuge there after Iraqi forces had retaken areas to the northwest, most notably the 17 Tamuz and Iktisadiyeen districts. Islamic State head of administrative affairs in Nineveh, Raqqa, killed in western Mosul Mosul (IraqiNews.com) Islamic State militant in charge of the administrative affairs of Nineveh province in Iraq and the Syrian city of Raqqa has been declared to be killed in western Mosul. In a statement on Sunday, the military intelligence department confirmed the death of IS leader called Mohamed Mejbal al-Jawari, who was recently appointed as head of the administrative affairs in Nineveh and Raqqa in an airstrike at al-Zanjili district, in western Mosul. Iraqi forces have been sweeping through northwestern neighborhoods over the past few weeks in a way to invade the strategic Old City, after finding it hard to invade from the south. CTS commander says troops liberated 47 out of 74 districts in western Mosul Mosul (IraqiNews.com) The Iraqi army’s elite Counter-Terrorism Service has declared liberating 47 out of 74 residential districts in western Mosul. Speaking to the Kurdish-owned Rudaw network, Lt. Gen.Abdul Wahab al-Saadi, CTS commander, said “during our battles in western Mosul, hundreds of Islamic State militants were killed by CTS troops. Once the battle ends and Mosul is liberated, we will announce the total losses and number of IS militants killed.” CTS, according to Saadi, “is ready to take part in all battles in Iraq and to receive commands from the commander-in-chief of the armed forces.” On Saturday, CTS declared concluding its mission in western Mosul. Official: Iraqi forces control 97% of western Mosul Mosul (IraqiNews.com) Iraqi government forces are in control over 97 percent of territories at the western side of Mosul, a municipal official said Sunday as battles against the Islamic State near a total recapture of the city. Hossam al-Abbar, a member of the Nineveh province council, was quoted by Russian Sputnik news agency saying that Iraqi forces had managed to liberate 97 percent of the western side of Mosul, besieging more than 450 militants in the region. “Federal Police and Rapid Response forces are heading towards the liberation of al-Shifa, al-Zanjili and al-Sihha neighborhoods, once done with clearing this axis, they will all unite to attack the Old City from all directions,” he said in his statements. Also on Sunday, Federal Police commander, Shaker Jawdat, said military forces were positioning at the southern outskirts of 17 Tamuz, the first neighborhood occupied by IS in 2014 which troops recaptured on Saturday, preparing to invade the Old City. Iraqi Army captures over a dozen ISIS car bombs in west Mosul [ALMASDARNEWS] ISIS appears to be running low on volunteer suicide bombers in Mosul after the Iraqi Federal Police captured a large car bomb factory in the newly liberated ’17th Tammuz’ district of northwestern Mosul. Upon discovery of over a dozen ready-made fortified car bombs, these were hastily transferred to rearguard positions for immediate destruction to avoid any complications following a potential ISIS-counter attack: Prior to Mosul’s encirclement late last year, ISIS withdrew all its armored vehicles and tanks to Syria; instead, Islamic State commanders have relied heavily on modified civilian cars to function as deadly mobile bombs. Due to recent advances, the Islamic State controls just three neighborhoods anchored on the western part of the Tigris River. Meanwhile the Counter Terrorism Units, 9th and 15th divisions have been relieved of their duties in Iraq’s second largest city, rendering the final counter-insurgency operations to the Iraqi Federal Police and Rapid Response Division to deal with. Posted by: trailing wife 2017-05-22 |
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