Iraqi Forces Achieve Fresh Territorial Gains in Mosul’s Old City, Rescue Civilians

Iraqi government forces have registered more territorial gains in the militant-held Old City of Mosul as they continue their operations to push Takfiri Daesh terrorists out of their last urban stronghold in the Arab country, Press TV reported.

Staff Lieutenant General Abdulghani al-Assadi, a senior commander in the Counter-Terrorism Service (CTS), said on Tuesday that the counter-terrorism offensives are proceeding as expected but the progress is slow.

 “Things are good and the battle is going as planned. We have many obstacles – the nature of the land, the nature of the construction, the roads and the civilian population – all of which make us slow down our work,” he stated.

The high-ranking Iraqi military commander further noted that civilians are fleeing heavy fighting between Daesh militants and army soldiers in the Old City, and up to 400 people approached the positions of government forces on Monday.

Meanwhile, Commander of Federal Police Forces Lieutenant General Shaker Jawdat said security forces are moving forward on the southern front of the battle with the support of medium weapons and portable launchers.

He added that police forces have killed 27 terrorists, and destroyed three car bombs in addition to bombs strapped to six motorcycles.

Jawdat stressed that government troops have surrounded the Republican Hospital in the al-Shifa neighborhood of Mosul.

Later in the day, Iraqi forces managed to liberate the Health Department, the Fifth Bridge and al-Ihdath prison in western Mosul.

Taking back the Old City of Mosul, a densely populated warren of narrow alleyways on the western side of Mosul, is crucial to recapturing the whole of the former Daesh stronghold in Iraq.

The United Nations says around 150,000 civilians are trapped in the neighborhood along with hundreds of Daesh militants.

H.M