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Iraq
Mosul Offensive News
2016-12-05
Fotos showed bombed out Mosul bridges

Nineveh (IraqiNews.com) Aerial view photos have show damage dealt to the five bridges connecting the east and west banks of Tigris River in Mosul by US-led aircraft.

The images, posted by the US-based think-tank, Stratfor, show the damage sustained by the bridges in operations seeking to close in on Islamic State militants in the east, where Iraqi troops have been advancing and clearing villages from the militant group since the launch of their major operation mid October.

Commanders at the US-spearheaded Global Coalition to Counter ISIL have recently clarified that airstrikes against the bridges were aimed at rendering them unusable, rather than to completely demolish them.

There are, however, fears that the damage could hinder attempts by civilians in the city to flee from ISIS’s grip, especially with estimates noting that more than one million civilians are currently within the group’s hold to use them as future human shields.

Iraqi militia drives back ISIS attack in Tal Afar

Nineveh (IraqiNews.com) Badr Organization said Sunday its fighters held off an attack by Islamic State militants near the strategic Tal Afar airport in Mosul.

The militia, fighting under the flag of the broader al-Hashd al-Shaabi, said in a statement that a brigade from the militia “fought off an attack by ISIS on the village of Ein al-Hossan near Tal Afar airport,” adding that the forces seized 8 Hummer vehicles, a bulldozer and belonging to the extremist group, and detonated a booby-trapped car.

Al-Hashd al-Shaabi recaptured the strategic airport of Tal Afar last month, celebrating the takeover as a major step towards besieging the ISIS stronghold town, encircling the militants inside Iraq and cutting their supply and escape routes with Syria.

Iraqi government forces, backed by volunteer militias and US-led international troops have been on a wide-scale campaign to clear Mosul from Islamic State militants since mid October. Government and militia commanders have said that operations succeeded in largely isolating Nineveh from the rest of Iraqi provinces.

Iraqi forces destroy 2 ISIS vehicles

Nineveh (IraqiNews.com) An Officer at Nineveh Operations Command announced on Sunday, that security forces detonated two booby-trapped vehicles belonging to the Islamic State group, in eastern Mosul.

Captain Iyad Ziad said in a press statement, “Iraqi army forces managed to detonate two booby-trapped vehicles belonging to the Islamic State extremist group in al-Bakr area, in eastern the province.”

“Iraqi forces intensified their presence in liberated neighborhoods to prevent the ISIS militants from sneaking into these areas,” Ziad added.

In a related context, nearly 25 civilians, mostly women and children, were killed, while 80 others were wounded in the last few hours by rockets shelling launched by the ISIS on the areas of al-Zohour, al-Akhaa, al-Bakr, al-Qadisiyah, al-Tahrir, al-Mharebeen, al-Zahraa and al-Jame’a, in eastern Mosul.
Posted by:badanov

#4  as bad as it is in Iraq, it is worse in Syria

about 50k fatalities in the Iraq vs ISIS
about 500k fatalities in the Syrian civil war
Posted by: lord garth   2016-12-05 13:43  

#3  Street to Street and House to House is the worst nightmare of the infantry. Even worse than attacking a hilltop fortified enemy.

Give these guys a break and realize that taking Mosul will be a long slow grind...they have fellow Iraqis by the thousands in Mosul and how do you root out ISIS if they are comingled with the civilians and dressing like women???

Its time for the Hammer and Anvil...shift the main attack to the west and force ISIS into the forces on the east.
Posted by: Sock Puppet of Doom   2016-12-05 12:23  

#2  Taking Mosul was never going to be easy. They're likely better off consolidating what gains they've made. But the politicians will decide that one.
Posted by: Pappy   2016-12-05 11:27  

#1  The Iraqi offensive has run out of steam...ISIS launching local counterattacks...not long before the cries for US troops to pull their behinds out of the fire begin.
Posted by: Tennessee   2016-12-05 00:57  

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