Iraq: Few Neighborhoods in Western Mosul Still under ISIL Control

The Arabic-language al-Mayadeen quoted the Iraqi Joint Operations Command as saying that the Iraqi forces have 90 percent of Western part of Mosul under their control.

In the meantime, General Command of “Qademoun Ya Nineveh Operation” dropped thousands of leaflets over the few regions remaining under ISIL control, calling on civilians to remain in their homes and wait for the arrival of Iraqi forces.

The leaflets urged civilians not to use their vehicles in Mosul streets as the Iraqi fighter jets will target any vehicle moving in the streets.

Reports said on Monday that the Iraqi Federal Police forces engaged in fierce clashes with ISIL and took back control over al-Uraybi district, laying siege on ISIL in five neighborhoods.

The Joint Operations Command declared controlling 89.5 percent of Western Mosul and killing 16,467 members of ISIL.

“The total deaths of ISIL have reached up to 16,467 militants until yesterday,” Rasoul said in a press conference earlier today.

According to Rasoul, 679 booby-trapping vehicles, 11 headquarters of the group, 47 drones and 76 booby-trapping workshops were destroyed while 6,661 bombs and 217 explosive belts were defused.

He stressed that “89.5 percent of Western Mosul was liberated. Only few districts are remaining under the terrorists’ control.”

Rasoul added that the popular forces of al-Hashd al-Shaabi made extreme advance toward Qairawan and Baaj desert regions in Southwestern countryside of Mosul.

The general underlined that 100 percent of districts in Eastern Mosul is under control of the Iraqi troops, and life has returned back to normal.

A spokesperson of the Iraqi command said on Monday that ISIL militants controlled only nine percent of territories in Western Mosul, as battles reach the group’s final strongholds.

Spokesman for the Iraqi Joint Operations Command Brig. Gen. Yahia Rasoul said that the Iraqi forces recaptured the Northern section of 17 Tamuz, the first district ISIL captured in the city in 2014.

He added that only a few number of militants were remaining in the city, suffering scarcity of food and combat supplies.

Meanwhile, Federal Police chief Shaker Jawdat told a local news outlet that his forces killed 173 ISIL members while taking control over the al-Uraybi and Refaie districts. He said forces had also recaptured the Eqtesadi’yeen district.

According to Jawdat, 60 senior ISIL members fled with their families from 17 Tamuz.

Iraqi forces moved through a new front in Western Mosul earlier this month, targeting the strategic, ISIL-held Old City from the Northwestern direction, having encircled the city from the Southern entrance for weeks.

Iraqi commanders have predicted to recapture Mosul before the holy month of Ramadan, which starts May 27th. Government forces took control over Eastern Mosul in January.