8 die in ISIS mortar attack in Mosul
Mosul (IraqiNews.com) Eight civilians were killed, while five others were wounded as five mortar missiles were shot by Islamic State against western Mosul regions, source from Federal Police said on Saturday.
“Eight civilians were killed, while five others were wounded as IS militants fired mortar missiles against al-Zanjili district,” Cap. Adel Haidar told BasNews.
The militants, according to Haidar, “began targeting Zanjili after being kicked out from al-Shifa district as well as the Grand Nuri al-Kabeer mosque,” he added.
Meanwhile, Col. Khaled al-Jawari, from the Joint Operations Command, said a weapon stash was found, while civilians held by the fighters were liberated in al-Shifa district in western Mosul.
“The Rapid Response troops, which accompany Federal Police forces on al-Shifa district where confrontations are taking place, seized a huge weapon stash with dozens of mortar missiles as well as locally-manufactured rockets and other explosives,” he added.
“Ten civilians kidnapped by the militants from Zanjili were freed,” he told BasNews.
“Troops are slowly advancing toward al-Shifa to protect lives of citizens in the region,” he said.
Earlier on Saturday, the Iraqi government forces recaptured Zanjili district in western Mosul, leaving only one district in Islamic State’ grip before reaching its strategic stronghold in the Old City neighborhood.
2 Kidz die in ISIS landmine attack
[ARA News] At least two children were killed and three other civilians were injured on Saturday after a landmine planted by ISIS extremists exploded in the Kurdish city of Kobane, in northern Syria.
“A landmine, that had been planted by ISIS terrorists in Kobane, exploded on Saturday, causing the death two children, beside injuring three other civilians,” eyewitnesses told ARA News.
The Kurdish Asayish security forces in Kobane identified the victims as Nada Mustafa, 4, and Hamoud al-Barho, 13.
“The wounded were transferred that the Kobani Hospital for treatment,” the Asayish said in a statement.
Unexploded devices pose a daily threat to civilians in the cities and towns liberated for ISIS.
Similar cases were reported in Hasakah and Manbij, where dozens of civilians died in explosion of landmines planted by ISIS extremists before losing those areas to the Kurdish YPG forces and allied SDF troops.
Speaking to ARA News, Abdulrahman Hemo, head of the reconstruction board of Kobane, said that the explosives continue to threaten civilian lives. “Until now, 50 per cent of the civilian death toll in Kobane was caused by explosives in the ground,” he said.
“This explosive pollution will make it impossible for people to reconstruct their lives, and blocks access to several areas. It also prevents humanitarian organizations from operating safely and providing the necessary support to this vulnerable population,” said Frédéric Maio, Handicap International’s Mine Action Program Development Manager in a public statement.
“ISIS militants are experts in the use of mines,” German fighter of YPG Heval Cihan told ARA News, suggesting that ISIS is using traps and decoys, which had killed one of the YPG’s mine experts in Ayn al-Issa town.
“After the liberation of Kobane, most martyrs were not killed by attacks, but by mines,” he said.