Iraqi Forces Making Gains in Battle for Mosul

Iraqi forces have made major advances in their battle to liberate the city of Mosul from Daesh. The operations are advancing from three directions, namely the south, the east, and the northeast of the city. Here is a series of the latest updates on the military push:

– According to Iraq’s al-Sumaria news website, the Iraqi security forces have reached the outskirts of the town of Hamdaniya, southeast of Mosul. The terrorists reportedly suffered heavy losses and causalities in the Iraqi operations.

– The Daesh terrorists have also reportedly set fire to oil wells in Hamdaniya in an attempt to hinder the advances of the forces and to provide cover from airstrikes.

 – The Iraqi Defense Ministry has said in a statement that the villages of Ibrahim Khalil and Kan Harami have also been liberated from the control of Daesh, al-Sumaria reported. The report added that the Iraqi forces have laid a siege on the village of Dzizah in the Kawir front-line.

– The Iraqi security forces have also recaptured the village of Bazkertan in Hamdaniya, east of Mosul, a field source told Al-Forat, adding the Daesh terrorists have fled the village en masse.

–  According to Al Iraqiya TV, the Iraqi forces have regained control of the villages of Ibn Nayef and Nejma, south of Mosul, as well.

– The towns of Hamam Ali and Namrud in southern Mosul have also been purged from Daesh presence.

–  Iraqi media say more than 43 terrorist positions have been destroyed in intensified airstrikes conducted by the Iraqi air force and the international coalition led by the US since the beginning of the liberating operation.

– Iraqi joint forces have also liberated the villages of al-Khadr and al-Abbas, east of Mosul after fierce fighting with the Daesh terrorists.

–  Iraq’s Federal Police have advanced six kilometers in their battle against Daesh to the south of Mosul, according to the commander of the forces, Shaker Jawdat.

–  According to Al-Forat New Agency, Iraq’s Kurdish Peshmerga fighters have captured nine villages to the northeast of Mosul in the Khazer front-line on Monday. Shafaq News website had earlier said the Peshmerga fighters had captured the villages of Shaqoli, al-Badana al-Kobra and al-Badana al-Soghra to the east of Mosul.

– The commander of the armed forces in Kurdistan region said on Monday that more than 4,000 Peshmerga fighters are taking part in the operation for Mosul.

– The Popular Mobilization Units, also known by its Arabic name al-Hashed al-Sha’abi, have been firing artillery shells at the terrorists’ positions in southern Mosul.

–  Stephen O’Brien, the United Nations (UN)’s under-secretary-general for humanitarian affairs and emergency relief coordinator, has expressed concern over the safety of the civilians trapped in Mosul. “Families are at extreme risk of being caught in cross-fire or targeted by snipers. Tens of thousands of Iraqi girls, boys, women and men may be under siege or held as human shields.”

Saving a city in distress

Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi announced the start of the operations to liberate Mosul from Daesh terrorists on Sunday.

The city fell to the Takfiri Daesh terrorists in June 2014 shortly after they unleashed a campaign of terror and destruction in the northern and western parts of Iraq.

Forces from al-Hashed al-Sha’abi as well as Kurdish Peshmerga fighters are backing the Iraqi army in the final push to liberate Mosul, the last major Daesh stronghold in Iraq.

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