Iraqi Army Kicks Off Zawaya Liberation Operation

“After seizing back Zawaya region, the security forces will continue their military operation to take control of Kokajli district inside the city of Mosul,” al-Saedi said.

He underlined that the military operations to win full control of Zawaya region is already underway and the Iraqi army’s ground troops, missile, air defense, and artillery units are engaged in the operation.

On October 17, Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi ordered Iraq’s joint military forces to start military operations to liberate Mosul city from Southern, Eastern and Northern directions. The Iraqi volunteer forces (Hashd al-Shaabi) are also responsible to seize back the Western part of the city.

On Tuesday, a security source revealed that the Iraqi security forces are within the distance of only 3 km from the Eastern edge of Mosul.

“After the liberation of the villages of Terawa and Al-Muwafaqiya by the Iraq’s counter-terrorism unit, the Iraqi forces’ task before reaching Mosul is the liberation of two villages of Bazwaya and Kokajli to be able to storm Mosul from its eastern outskirts,” the source said.

The source said that the Iraqi security forces and the counter-terrorism unit have been making significant progress in their military operations to liberate Mosul from ISIL terror group.

On Tuesday, the Iraqi Army and its allies started targeting ISIL’s positions inside the city of Mosul with artillery fire, Iraq’s top anti-terror commander said, as operation aimed at liberating the Northern Iraqi city from the terror outfit has entered its second week.

Abdul-Ghani Asadi, the commander of the Iraqi army’s anti-terrorism contingent, made the announcement as reports suggest that Iraqi forces have liberated more than 70 percent of the territory lying to the South of the ISIL-held Northern city of Mosul, and are weeding out explosives planted by the terrorist group on their way to the city.

On Tuesday, the joint military and volunteer forces liberated three more villages, located to the city’s South, from ISIL, the country’s war news media reported, with Tweeter pictures showing children rejoicing after the areas’ liberation.