News / Iraq / News

Iraqi forces make headway in fresh offensive to retake Mosul

Friday, 30 December 2016 7:09 PM [ Last Update: Friday, 30 December 2016 8:15 PM ]

Iraqi forces launch a rocket in Mosul's eastern al-Intisar neighborhood on December 30, 2016, during an ongoing military operation against Takfiri Daesh militants. (Photo by AFP)

Iraqi government soldiers and their allied forces have made great achievements in their renewed push to take back the strategic northern city of Mosul from Takfiri Daesh militants.

On Friday, Iraqi army troops advanced in the eastern al-Quds neighborhood of Mosul, which serves as the last urban area under the control of Daesh in Iraq and is located some 400 kilometers north of the capital Baghdad, a day after government forces resumed a multi-pronged offensive to flush the extremists out of their stronghold.

Iraqi forces also cleared the recently recaptured village of Sada, north of Mosul, of the last pockets of Daesh terrorists.

"Thank God, we have completed the liberation of Sada village and we cleared the homes. Orders were given to the 1st Regiment, 71st Brigade, Group 15, to continue its advance and liberate an adjacent village, called the New Sada Village. The area contains farms,” an Iraqi army soldier said.

The commander of the Mosul Operations, Major General Najm al-Jabouri, also said the Army is moving toward an area that separates the villages of Sada and Bawiza, north of Mosul, from the Chaldean town of Tel Kaif (also known as Tel Keppe).

He added that the so-called US-led military coalition has been carrying out airstrikes against Daesh positions in the area since Thursday night, and killed 70 Daesh militants in the process.

Meanwhile, a local source, requesting not to be named, said Daesh has evacuated dozens of the families of its foreign militants from four neighborhoods in western Mosul and moved them to an unknown location on board several mid-size cars.

The source added that Daesh militants made use of the cover of darkness to hastily leave the districts, including the al-Naft neighborhood.

An Iraqi soldier holds a gun in Mosul's eastern al-Intisar neighborhood on December 30, 2016, during an ongoing military operation against Takfiri Daesh militants. (Photo by AFP)

Also on Friday, Iraqi security forces thwarted a Daesh attack against Mosul’s eastern neighborhood of al-Fallah , killing 17 assailants and destroying five vehicles belonging to them.

Iraqi government soldiers also recaptured a pharmaceutical workshop and a slaughterhouse north of Mosul, and raised the national flag over them.

On October 17, Iraqi army soldiers, supported by pro-government Popular Mobilization Units (commonly known by the Arabic name Hashd al-Sha’abi) and Kurdish Peshmerga forces, launched a joint operation to retake Mosul from Daesh terrorists.

The Iraqi forces’ advance has, however, been slowed down due to the presence of hundreds of thousands of civilians, many of whom are prevented from leaving Mosul by Daesh.

Press TV’s website can also be accessed at the following alternate addresses:

www.presstv.co.uk