Commander: Iraqi Forces Destroy 200 ISIL Suicide Vehicles East of Mosul, Inch Closer to City Center

“The counterterrorism forces have managed to destroy 200 suicide vehicles of the ISIL in the Eastern flank of Mosul,” Major General al-Sa’adi told FNA on Wednesday.

He said that the Iraqi forces have made considerable advances in the districts of Mosul, adding, “We are only few kilometers away from Mosul city center.”

Major General al-Sa’adi reiterated that after fully purging the ISIL terrorists from the newly-liberated areas in the surrounding areas of Mosul city, the Iraqi counterterrorism units started mop-up operations in Adan, al-Akha and water project East of Mosul.

The commander thanked the Iraqi air force for its precise bombing of the ISIL’s military positions and targets in Mosul.

On Tuesday, the Iraqi volunteer forces also identified and destroyed a bomb-laden vehicle of the ISIL terrorists to the West of Mosul.

The Iraqi volunteer forces also approached the suburbs of Ain al-Hassan village to the West of airport in Tal Afar city.

On Tuesday, Iraq’s volunteer forces started the fourth phase of the military operations in areas on the Western side of Mosul.

The main purpose of the third phase of the military operations in Western Mosul was to help Iraq’s joint military forces to take control of areas between Tal Afar and the Syrian border, Hashd al-Shaabi said in a statement on Tuesday.

The statement reiterated that another objective of the military campaign in Western Mosul was to cut off the terrorists’ remaining supply routes from Tal Afar to the Syrian border.

It said that the Iraqi volunteer forces plan to advance further after seizing back more lands to the West of Mosul city.

The third phase of Hashd al-Shaabi’s military operations ended last Wednesday (November 14) after seizing back Tal Afar airport.

The terrorists are now under immense pressure after Iraq’s joint military forces cut their supply routes to the West of Tal Afar.

Battlefield sources said that the Tal Afar airport military operations covered an area from South to the North of Tal Afar and Sinjar International Airport as Hashd al-Shaabi has already coordinated with the Kurdish forces stationed near Sinjar International Airport and they have voiced their readiness to cooperate with the Iraqi volunteer forces.

Also on Tuesday, the Iraqi volunteer forces repelled a major ISIL offensive to take back Tal Afar airport.

The ISIL terrorists tried to destroy the volunteer forces’ military positions with suicide vehicles to open their way into the airport, but they were pushed back by the Syrian army.

The ISIL’s attack came after Iraqi popular forces managed to purge Tal Afar airport of terrorists last Wednesday.

The ISIL terrorists sent several suicide vehicles towards Iraqi volunteer forces’ military positions near Tal Afar airport, but the Hashd al-Shaabi forces destroyed them before they could hit their targets.

Meantime, the Iraqi Hezbollah and volunteer forces managed to purge terrorists from the village of Jahish to the Southwest Ta Afar.

Last Wednesday, the Iraqi volunteer forces managed to liberate Tal Afar airport after controlling key areas near the airport just South of Tal Afar city.

Hashd al-Shaabi sources stressed that a large number of ISIL terrorists escaped the airport which was besieged by the Iraqi and headed towards the city of Tal Afar.

Media reports also noted that the Iraqi forces have advanced in Western Mosul, killing scores of ISIL terrorists.

The sources added that liberating the airport paves the way for Iraqi forces to regain the city of Tal Afar.