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Iraq
Mosul Offensive News
2017-03-16


11 ISIS Bad Guys die in western Mosul

Nineveh (IraqiNews.com) Iraqi army forces arrested on Wednesday ten Islamic State members in western Mosul, including the extremist group’s so-called oil and finance ministers.

BasNews quoted Col. Thamer Jaber, from the 9th division, saying Iraqi troops captured two more villages in western Mosul after intense fighting with IS fighters. He said the forces were backed by an aerial cover from the U.S.-led international military coalition.

Battles, according to the officer, left 11 militants dead, including four suicide bombers. He added that ten others were also arrested, including IS “oil minister”, Hossam Gala-Eddin, and finance minister, Ghazi al-Tikriti, but did not mention their exact nationalities.

Iraqi government forces recaptured eastern Mosul from Islamic State on January 24th after three months of battles. Security commanders recently said they became in control of 30 percent of western Mosul since another offensive launched in February to retake the region.

Iraqi troops have made remarkable victories in the west by recapturing major government facilities, a military base and the city’s airport. Commanders said Tuesday they became in control over 90 percent of the Old City, a much-wanted target believed decisive for putting government troops closer to final victory.

Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi said hours earlier that the battle for Mosul was entering its final stages.

Iraqi forces control 60 percent of western Mosul

Nineveh (IraqiNews.com) Sixty percent of western Mosul has become under Iraqi government troops’ control, a spokesperson said Wednesday as troops push deeper in the region against Islamic State militants.

Sabah al-Nuaman, a spokesperson of the Counter-Terrorism Forces, said 60 percent of western Mosul has become under security forces’ control. “Operations are continuing in the eastern axis (of operations) and are not affected by inclement weather,” Nuaman said. “The Counter-Terrorism Service is preparing to advance in the western axis,” he added.

The police service said three days ago that security troops were controlling a third of western Mosul.

Iraqi government forces recaptured eastern Mosul from Islamic State on January 24th after three months of battles, and launched a new offensive in mid February to retake the west.

Iraqi troops have made remarkable victories in the west by recapturing major government facilities, a military base and the city’s airport. Commanders said Tuesday they became in control over 90 percent of the Old City, a much-wanted target believed decisive in putting government troops closer to final victory.

Iraqi and U.S.-led coalition generals had predicted the battle to end within six months, but Iraqi PM Haider al-Abadi said Tuesday the operations were entering their final stages.

Iraqi forces capture Old Bridge in Mosul
Google Map at the link
Nineveh (IraqiNews.com) Iraq’s Federal Police command said Wednesday that government forces had become in control over a strategic bridge in western Mosul as battles rage on to expel Islamic State militants from that region.

Federal Police chief Shaker Jawdat was quoted saying that the 2nd and 3rd divisions, backed by Rapid Response teams, took over Mosul’s Old Bridge (aka Iron Bridge), which links central Mosul’s Old City with the eastern side, passing above the Tigris River.

Jawdat added that forces continued incursions inside Bab al-Jadid and Bab al-Bid, both districts inside the Old City which police said were recaptured on Tuesday.

The bridge, a vital target in the combat operations for western Mosul, is one of the five bridges connecting both sides of the city. The bridges had been partially damaged by airstrikes to isolate the liberated eastern Mosul from the IS-held west. The Iraqi forces had installed a floating bridge upon starting the offensive on western Mosul last month to allow supplies and backup from the east. If recaptured, the Iron Bridge will be the third to be retaken by Iraqi forces.

“Our troops are making a steady advance towards the Grand Mosque and we are now less than 800 meters from the mosque,” a federal police spokesman said, quoted by Reuters.

Earlier on Wednesday, the army’s Counter-Terrorism Force said 60 percent of western Mosul became under government troops control.

3 ISIS Top Turbans smoked in central Mosul
Google Map at the link
Nineveh (IraqiNews.com) Airstrikes by the Iraqi army jets killed three senior Islamic State leaders in central Mosul on Wednesday, Iraq’s military intelligence service said as government troops achieve more victories in on the ground at that region.

A statement by the service said the strike by Iraqi fighter jets killed the trio in Mosul al-Jadida, a district retaken by the forces hours earlier near the Old City.

Those included Mohamed Fathy al-Jubouri, a so-designated “military official” for the group in western Mosul, his aide, Ahmed Nawwaf al-Jubouri and Abu Anas al-Jubouri, a suicide squads official, according to the statement.

Iraqi government troops have made further accomplishments in central Mosul’s Old City, most recently taking over the third of five bridges linking both sides of the city, besides other neighborhood in the Old City.

A spokesperson for the Counter-Terrorism Service said earlier on Wednesday that government forces became in control of 60 percent of the western side.

Iraqi government forces recaptured eastern Mosul from Islamic State on January 24th after three months of battles.

Since a new offensive launched in February to retake the western section, Iraqi troops have made remarkable victories by recapturing major government facilities, a military base and the city’s airport.

Iraqi force capture Badush region in Mosul
Google Map at the link
Nineveh (IraqiNews.com) Iraqi government troops and allied paramilitary groups retook Wednesday a major region in western Mosul from Islamic State militants, adding to earlier victories made in the region over the past few days.

The Defense Ministry’s War Media Cell quoted the Joint Operations Command saying that the army’s 9th division, backed by paramilitary groups, completely recaptured the region of Badush, northwest of Mosul.

The statement said the development put government forces and allied groups in total control over the western bank of the Tigris River, which bisects Mosul.

The victory in Badush comes hours after consecutive accomplishments in central Mosul, with Iraqi forces announcing taking over 90 percent of the Old City and 60 percent of the western region.

Iraqi forces recaptured eastern Mosul in January after three months of fighting, and since starting a new offensive in the west last month, they have recaptured several areas around Badush, including the town’s infamous prison where IS executed hundreds of inmates in 2014.

Iraqi and U.S.-led coalition generals had predicted the battle for Mosul to conclude in six months, but Iraqi premier Haider al-Abadi said Tuesday operations were entering their last stages.
Posted by:badanov

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