Commander: Iraqi Forces Ready to Attack Mosul Center, Transfer Hundreds of Families to Safe Places
“The Iraqi forces have already seized back Adan, al-Bakr, Karkouli and al-Arbajieh in the Eastern part of Mosul city and are ready to launch attacks on ISIL’s military positions in Mosul center,” Major General al-Sa’adi told FNA on Saturday.
He said that while a large number of terrorists have withdrawn to Mosul center, many of them have also hidden inside tunnels to the East of Mosul.
The Iraqi commander pointed to the risks to people in the Eastern and Northeastern parts of Mosul due to the high possibility of face-to-face street battles with the enemies in residential areas, and said, “The Iraqi security forces are cautiously advancing in these regions to protect people’s lives.”
“We have rescued hundreds of families from ISIL’s control and transferred them to safe places since the start of the Iraqi joint military forces’ military operation,” al-Sa’adi added.
On Wednesday, Mosul Liberation Operation entered a new phase as Iraq’s anti-terrorism units were inching closer to the Central part of the city.
“Iraqi forces, backed up by vast aerial coverage, started fresh attack on ISIL’s positions North of Mosul. The offensive started in the Eastern part of Mosul at first, and the country’s forces advanced towards different regions in four fronts,” al-Arabiyeh news network reported.
“The anti-terrorism units attacked the strategic village of Adan East of Mosul in four directions,” the network said.
“Iraqi forces are now deployed 4 km away from the fourth bridge of Mosul that is a major link between the Eastern and Western banks of the Tigris River,” the network added.
On Thursday, Iraqi Popular Mobilization Forces, al-Hashd al-Sha’abi, started to hand over to the Iraqi army 16 villages in Mosul they had recaptured from ISIL militants.
Al-Hashd al-Sha’abi forces have begun to hand over 16 liberated villages in Tal Afar, West of Mosul, to the army’s 15th division,” said Hossam Eddin al-Abbar, a member of Nineveh province’s council, Iraqi News reported.
He said that the army will take hold of those territories as the popular forces proceed to free more villages.
Al-Hashd al-Sha’abi has been actively partaking in the Iraqi government’s campaign to liberate the city of Mosul, ISIL’s last foothold in Iraq.
Commander of Iraq’s anti-terrorism units Abdul Wahab al-Sa’edi said Iraqi forces have reached Mosul’s municipality building and also won back the village of al-Bakr as one of the main bases of ISIL.
“Tens of terrorists were killed and their bomb-laden vehicles and heavy weapons were destroyed in air raids on their positions in al-Hay village,” the commander added.
