Iraqi government forces mopping up last pockets of Takfiri Daesh terrorists in Mosul

Members of the Iraqi federal police celebrate in the Old City of Mosul on July 10, 2017 after the government's announcement of the liberation of the embattled city from Daesh militants. (Photos by AFP)

Iraqi government forces are fighting to eliminate the last pockets of Daesh terrorists in the Old City of Mosul, more than two days after Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi formally declared victory over the extremists in their former stronghold and the country’s second largest city.

Three residents living just across the Tigris River from the ravaged area told Reuters on Wednesday that heavy exchanges of gunfire between Iraqi army soldiers and Daesh militants began before midnight and extended into the morning hours.

Army helicopters hovered over the Old City and columns of smoke rose into the air. It was not immediately clear if the smoke came from controlled explosions or from bombs set off by Daesh remnants.

"We still live in an atmosphere of war despite the victory announcement two days ago," 45-year-old Fahd Ghanim said.

Another resident said the blasts shook the ground around half a kilometer away.

An unnamed Iraqi military official attributed the activity to “clearing operations.”

A picture taken on July 10, 2017, shows smoke billowing in the Old City of Mosul during the offensive by the Iraqi forces to retake the embattled city from Daesh terrorists.

“There are Daesh militants hiding in different places. They disappear here and pop up there, then we target them,” he said.

Meanwhile, Iraqi Kurdish Peshmerga fighters have thwarted a Daesh attack on their position in the village of Mosallas al-Waqi'ah, located 70 kilometers west of Mosul, killing at least 17 Takfiri terrorists in the process.

Separately, Iraqi police forces repelled a Daesh attack on the Syrian border.

“Security forces, backed by Popular Mobilization Forces (Hashd al-Sha’abi), managed to seize a factory for making car bombs and improvised explosive devices (IEDs) belonging to Daesh in the Old City of Mosul,” a security source said on condition of anonymity.

“Forces defused about 20 car bombs and dismantled around 200 explosive devices, in addition to a large amount of light and medium weapons,” the source added.

“These weapons were prepared for a terror attack on security forces and fighters of al-Hashd al-Sha’abi based on the Syrian border in order to escape to Syria,” the source noted.

Some two dozen Izadi women rescued in western Mosul

Furthermore, Iraqi troops found and rescued 23 Izadi women, whom Daesh extremists had been holding captive near the Tigris riverbank in the western side of Mosul.

The women have been transferred to safe zones in order to be reunited with their families.

On Monday, Abadi formally declared victory of the country’s forces over Daesh in the northern city, which fell into the hands of the Takfiri terrorist group in June 2014.

Members of the Iraqi forces are seen in the Old City of Mosul on July 10, 2017, during the offensive to retake the embattled city from Daesh militants.

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

An estimated 862,000 people have been displaced from Mosul ever since the battle to retake the city began eight months ago. A total of 195,000 civilians have also returned, mainly to the liberated areas of eastern Mosul.