Iraqi troops resume advance in Mosul and near the borders with Syria

Sixteen Iraqi civilians have been killed and injured during an attack launched by ISIS extremist group against the governmental troops in the Iraqi city of Mousl. Meanwhile, security sources revealed that extremists launched a suicide attack against Heet district of Iraqi province of Anbar.

Thirty-four Islamic State militants, including a leader, were killed during armed confrontations in western Mosul, Federal Police have declared. In a statement aired on state TV, Lt.Gen. Shaker Jawdat said, “Federal Police troops have controlled 75 percent of al-Zanjili district and become very close to Bab Sanjar region in the Old City.”

“Operations in Zanjili left 34 militants, including the leader Abi Baraa al-Tounsi, in charge of explosives manufacturing workshops in the Old City, killed and four booby-trapped vehicles, that attempted targeting the passageways of the displaced, destroyed,” he added.

In related news, intelligence sources from Mosul said on Wednesday that the militants looted and burnt houses of the displaced civilians as well as their properties and cars at IS-held regions. Moreover, a source said three Federal Police personnel were shot dead by IS snipers in Zanjili.

Speaking to Shafaq News, the sources added that IS members booby-trapped houses of the civilians who fled toward security troops in al-Shifa district. They stole their properties and cars to block the streets and blow them to hamper advance of the troops.

Meanwhile, observers said the group has realized its losses caused by the war waged against Iraqi troops. Suffering shortage in personnel, the group resorted to hindering the troops through blocking streets with vehicles and denying civilians access to use them as human shields.

On Monday, Federal Police declared troops aimed again at the strategic Old City from the southern entrances, reopening an old front after they have been sweeping through northwestern neighborhoods over the past few weeks in a way to invade the strategic Old City. The eastern side of Mosul was retaken in January after three months of battles. Another major offensive was launched in February to recapture the western flank of the city.

In the same context, A senior Islamic State member and four other aides were killed in airstrikes by the United States.-led coalition west of Mosul on Tuesday, according to an Iraqi officer.

Col. Khaled al-Jawari, from the Joint Operations Command, told BasNews that the warplanes pounded Islamic State gatherings in a public hospital and a sports playground in Tal Afar, a major bastion for the group in northwestern Mosul.

Killed in the strike were Shaker al-Afri, a senior Islamic State member, and four others, including the group’s designated area commander, according to al-Jawari.

Islamic State militants have been holding the Tal Afar town since 2014, and pro-government Popular Mobilization Units have been recapturing areas around the enclave, and isolated it from Mosul and Syria preparing for an invasion which the JOC has not yet decided whether it would assign to paramilitary or government troops. 

Operations by the Popular Mobilization Units have recently managed to impose control over villages along the borderline with Syria. Meanwhile, government troops have become closer to retaking Mosul, Islamic State’s previously-proclaimed capital, where a campaign has been running since October 2016 and recently cornered a few hundreds of militants in the western side of the city.

In the Iraqi province of Diyala, Police Command announced, on Monday, foiling a suicide attack on a checkpoint in Balad Ruz District, east of Baqubah, while pointed out that two security members were injured during the attack.

Diyala police spokesman, Colonel Ghalib Attiyah, said in a statement that a suicide bomber, wearing an explosive belt, tried to approach the eastern checkpoint of Balad Ruz District, but the checkpoint security members stopped him before blowing up himself at the checkpoint.

Two security members were slightly wounded due to the explosion, Attiyah added. Security forces were aware that there will be an attack attempt on the checkpoint, and took all the needed procedures.

Earlier today, six unidentified bodies were found in al-Aitha area, northeast of Baqubah, while security members arrested five persons wanted on terrorism and criminal charges in different areas of the province.