Iraqi government forces retake 4 Mosul neighborhoods from Takfiri Daesh militants

Iraqi forces, consisting of federal police and the elite Rapid Response Division, advance in the Old City in western Mosul on March 19, 2017, during the offensive to retake the city from Daesh Takfiri militants. (Photo by AFP)

Iraqi government forces have managed to liberate four more neighborhoods in the country’s second largest city of Mosul as they engage in joint operations with allied fighters to expel Takfiri Daesh militants out of their last urban stronghold in the country.

The commander of Nineveh Liberation Operation, Lieutenant General Abdul Amir Yarallah, said on Sunday that the 9th Armored Division had regained control of al-Molawwathah neighborhood in western Mosul in addition to Huwaidrah village north of Badush.

Yarallah added that army troops also recaptured a mill and gas station in the western flank of Mosul.

The high-ranking Iraqi military commander noted that government forces inflicted heavy losses on Daesh ranks and destroyed a considerable amount of their military hardware in the process as well.

Separately, Iraqi security forces moved deeper inside central Mosul on Sunday, recapturing two neighborhoods and killing scores of Daesh terrorists.

An unnamed local source told Arabic-language Skypress news agency that security forces had established full control over Khaled ibn al-Walid and Bab al-Sijn neighborhoods near Mosul’s Old City, opening safe exit routes for civilians.

The source added that federal police troops later moved on to al-Matahen area, killing 17 militants. There were two bombers among the slain extremists.

A sniper member of Iraqi forces takes aim during their advance in the Old City in western Mosul on March 19, 2017. (Photo by AFP)

Lieutenant Borhan al-Abdali from the Counter Terrorism Service (CTS) also said his forces had retaken Fatah al-Ali alleyway in Mosul al-Jadida district following two hours of intense clashes. At least 14 Daesh militants were killed during the heavy exchange of gunfire.

Abdali, citing civilians, said many militants have abandoned their rifles weapons and escaped to nearby alleyways.

Meanwhile, Iraqi forces have destroyed a network of Daesh tunnels in Badush northwest of Mosul.

Commander of Federal Police Forces Lieutenant General Raed Shaker Jawdat also said Iraqi government forces had killed a senior member of Daesh’s police force, identified as Hussam Shiit Majid al-Jubouri, in the Bab al-Sijn neighborhood of Mosul.

Later on Sunday, the Iraqi Joint Operations Command (JOC) announced in a statement that CTS forces managed to win back Nablus neighborhood in western Mosul, and hoisted the national Iraq flag over a cluster of buildings there.

Furthermore, six senior Daesh militant commanders have been killed during clashes with Iraqi army soldiers across Mosul. They reportedly came from Algeria, Britain, France, Morocco, Russia and Syria.

Iraqi army soldiers and allied fighters from Popular Mobilization Units – commonly known by the Arabic name Hashd al-Sha’abi – launched their offensive to retake Mosul last October and since then they have made sweeping gains against Takfiri elements.

Iraqi forces took control of eastern Mosul in January after 100 days of fighting and launched the battle in the west on February 19.