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| Iraq |
| Mosul Offensive News |
| 2016-12-23 |
| Iraqi MoD could call Iraqi militia to eastern Mosul Baghdad (IraqiNews.com) Iraqi military officials are considering to seek backup from Shia-led al-Hashd al-Shaabi militias to embolden forces in the eastern region of Mosul against Islamic State militants, a newspaper has said. Worked out by continuous battles and fierce resistance from IS in eastern Mosul, the forces may receive backup from certain militias operating under al-Hashd al-Shaabi’s flag, London-based The New Arab newspaper reported, quoting officials close to Mosul operations command. Iraqi government forces, backed by al-Hashd al-Shaabi and US-led air forces, launched a wide-scale military campaign mid October to retake Mosul: IS’s last major stronghold in Iraq. Government forces are fighting on the eastern shore of the Tigris River, recapturing almost 50 percent of that region since then, according to security officials. Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi said Wednesday forces recaptured 5600 sq km out of a total space of 7600 sq km of the province of Nineveh. Al-Hashd al-Shaabi has been, meanwhile, fighting the group in the western region, claiming to have isolated IS’s hideouts there from both Syria and Iraq. But, as admitted by military media, progress in battles at the east slowed down over the past week. That is reportedly due to bad weather conditions and the density of the targeted districts. A senior officer at the Ministry of Defense told The New Arab that the government has begun discussions over recalling nearly 5000 fighters from al-Hashd who are currently deployed near the strategic IS stronghold of Tal Afar in the west. “Most of al-Hashd groups agree to that, but some others refuse to join as part of military or police forces, and have declined to get government forces uniforms as was the case in previous occasions,” the officer said. The officer admitted that al-Hashd militias are more accustomed to guerrilla-style battles, adding that though government forces enjoy an air cover from US-led forces, that support does not resolve the battle on the ground. Reda Allawi, a senior commander at al-Hashd al-Shaabi, said their participation in the Mosul battle has become “very likely”. He told the newspaper that the battle there “needs intervention by paramilitary forces because the army is obviously dragging inside districts”. He, however, conditioned that such an intervention must be officially declared. “The government should not appease Washington by again putting the army or federal police label on us,” as he put it, referring to concerns voiced by the US and other world bodies of al-Hashd’s involvement into the liberation battles. On Monday, Iraqi President Fuad Masum approved a law passed by parliament in November that turned al-Hashd al-Shaabi from a paramilitary to national force.The passing of the long-debated bill came amid intense objections from Sunni groups within the parliament who feared the law would grant the militia unchecked powers, and therefore stoke sectarian tensions. Al-Hashd al-Shaabi was formed by a decree from Iraq’s top Shia clergy to combat the Islamic State militants who took over many regions of Iraq in 2014. The militia is currently engaged in fighting against ISIS on the side of the Iraqi government forces, and its involvement in the liberation of areas inhabited by Sunnis has aroused international and local fears of sectarian twists. The law counts al-Hashd al-Shaabi as part of the national armed forces and subject to its supreme commander. Its text says personnel affiliated with the force should be disconnected with any other political, social or partisan affiliations. It gives an exclusive mandate to the supreme commander of the armed forces to decide on the distribution and deployment of the force among provinces. 4 UN workers die in mortar attack in Mosul (Reuters) Four Iraqi aid workers and at least seven civilians were killed by indiscriminate mortar fire this week during aid distribution in two separate incidents in eastern Mosul, the United Nations said on Thursday. A U.N. statement did not assign blame for the attacks, but Islamic State militants retreating from the Iraqi military’s offensive in the northern city have repeatedly shelled “liberated” areas, killing or wounding scores of residents fleeing in the opposite direction. The operation in Mosul, the jihadists’ last major stronghold in Iraq, has retaken a quarter of the city but the troops’ advance has been slow and punishing. The U.S.-backed campaign launched by a 100,000-strong alliance of local forces on Oct. 17, has become the biggest in Iraq since the 2003 U.S.-led invasion that toppled Saddam Hussein. Lise Grande, U.N. humanitarian coordinator for Iraq, condemned the attacks as a violation of humanitarian principles. “People waiting for aid are already vulnerable and need help. They should be protected, not attacked,” she said. “All parties to the conflict – all parties – have an obligation to uphold international humanitarian law and ensure that civilians survive and receive the assistance they need.” The authorities do not release figures for civilian or military casualties, but medical officials have said dozens of people are wounded each day in the Mosul battle. al-Manar sez the butcher's bill is at 11, but you now how those guys are: Mortar fire killed 11 people including four aid workers as civilians gathered to receive assistance in the battleground Iraqi city of Mosul, the United Nations said on Thursday. “According to initial reports, four aid workers and at least seven civilians queuing for emergency assistance in eastern Mosul city have been killed by indiscriminate mortar fire,” Lise Grande, UN humanitarian coordinator in Iraq, said in a statement. “Within the last 48 hours, there have been two separate incidents” that also wounded up to 40 people, Grande said. “People waiting for aid are already vulnerable and need help. They should be protected, not attacked,” she said, adding: “The killing of civilians and aid workers violates every humanitarian principle.” Iraqi forces launched an operation on October 17 to retake Mosul, the country’s last city held by the Takfiri ISIL group, and have retaken areas on its eastern side. The UN announcement came a day after Human Rights Watch said that IS was “indiscriminately” attacking civilians who refused to retreat along with the Takfiris in Mosul. “Residents said (ISIL) members told them in person, by radio, and over mosque loudspeakers that those who stayed behind were ‘unbelievers’ and therefore valid targets along with the Iraqi and coalition forces,” the rights group said. The terrorists have targeted civilians with mortars, explosives and gunfire, HRW said. 70 ISIS Bad Guys die in Mosul Nineveh (IraqiNews.com) Iraqi Ministry of Defense announced on Thursday killing of 70 members of the Islamic State, including senior leaders, by an air strike in Nineveh province, while also pointed out to the destruction of a cache of weapons and explosives laboratories in Anbar. The ministry said in a press statement, “Iraqi Air Force, based on accurate intelligence information, bombarded a gathering of the Islamic State, south of Tal Abta area, killing 20 leaders and 50 members.” “Iraqi Air Force also conducted several air strikes, destructing a cache of weapons and explosives and a laboratory for explosives manufacturing in Akashat desert, west of Anbar,” the statement added. “The air strikes also destroyed an explosives laboratory in al-Sakra area, west of the province,” the statement explained. The ministry also revealed that military intelligence directorate in coordination with the intelligence of the 16th brigade raided a headquarters of the Islamic State containing mortar shells and Katyusha rockets, as well as military gears in Shalat area, near Police Academy, north of Mosul. |
| Posted by:badanov |