Iraqi forces kill dozens of extremists in Mosul, liberate new villages

Tribal fighters belonging to the Iraqi government have arrested a number of displaced persons fleeing the Mosul battles, while three Iraqi soldiers were killed while repelling an attack by IS militants at a highway in western Mosul. In the same context, Iraqi joint forces restored three new villages in Mosul.

A source said that militants attacked the highway between Badush and the IS stronghold town of Tal Afar with four booby-trapped vehicles. He added that three soldiers died when the militants blew up the vehicles.

On the other hand, around 100 men were abducted from Hatra city, south of Mosul, after they fled to Hamam al-Alil town, an official has said. Meanwhile, Ali al-Ahmadi, another official from Hatra, said that more than 100 civilians were arrested by al-Hashd al-Ashaeri (Tribal Mobilization) forces, while they were on their way toward Hamam al-Alil camps taking them to unknown destination.

An official from the tribal militias said the arrests included people who had links to Islamic State, refusing to give further details. The tribal sunni militias are claimed to be backed by the Iraqi government to control lands recaptured from IS.

Meanwhile, Iraqi forces killed eight extremists on Okashat area. TIn the same context, the Popular Mobilization Forces (PMF) announced that its forces blew up a car bomb on the outskirts of Umm al-Shatun village in the north-west of al-Hadr area. PMF forces shot down a robot plain of IS in Tumin village.

In the capital, a security source said on Sunday that security forces managed to arrest four people who form a gang to steal the wheels and motorcycles in Husseiniya.

The Iraqi Defense Ministry has estimated the remaining part of western Mosul that is still held by IS at thirty-five percent. In remarks on Sunday, Iraqi Defense Minister Erfan al-Hiyali said life returned back to normal in the eastern side and that the Iraqi troops are in high spirit and making their best to secure the citizens and their properties.

the Iraqi army’s chief of staff, Lieutenant General Othman al-Ghanmi, was quoted by state-run newspaper al-Sabah earlier on Sunday as saying that the military operations in western Mosul are expected to be completed in a maximum of three weeks. Iraqi generals previously claimed they were in control of 70 percent of the western side of Mosul, and that the total of territory held by IS in Iraq is less than seven percent.

Iraqi troops, backed by the international coalition led by the U.S. and the paramilitary troops, took over the eastern side of Mosul in January after three months of fighting with the IS militants. In February, another major offensive was launched to retake the western side.