1 dead in roadside bomb attack in Nahrawan
Nineveh (IraqiNews.com) Iraqi joint forces recaptured on Tuesday three more neighborhoods in eastern Mosul as operations to retake that region from Islamic State militants approach an end.
Abdul-Amir Yarallah, commander of the Join Operations Command’s operations in Nineveh, said in a statement that army forces recaptured Bab al-Shams, Ninawa al-Sharqiya and Souq al-Aghnam (cattle market) area in eastern Mosul.
Meanwhile, All Iraq News website quoted Sami al-Aredi, a senior commander of the army’s Counter-Terrorism Forces, as saying that the force invaded al-Mohandessin district, expecting to take full control of it within hours.
Iraqi forces, backed by US-led advisers and fighter jets, as well as popular militias, launched operations to retake Mosul last October. The conflict has forced nearly 178.000 civilians to flee homes.
Iraqi generals said recently they became in control over 90 percent of the city’s eastern section and hope to move later to recapture the IS-held west. The forces recently recaptured IS’s most outstanding bastion in the east of the city, the Mosul University campus, and had reached the eastern bank of the Tigris River, which cuts the city into two halves. Only a few districts remain in IS militants hold.
The victories come amid increasing reports of crumbling in the Islamic State ranks, with divisions, infighting and accusations of treason traded among militants.
Conflict in Mosul has forced 178.000 civilians to flee homes in the city to refugee camps, but many of those are targeted by militants upon their escape.
Imam survives small arms attack in Baghdad
Baghdad (IraqiNews.com) A police source revealed that the preacher of al-Imam al-A’zam Mosque survived an assassination attempt, north of Baghdad, Alsumaria News reported on Tuesday.
The source said, “The preacher of al-Imam al-A’zam Mosque, Sheikh Abdel Sattar Abdel Jabbar, survived an assassination attempt by unidentified gunmen driving a SUV near al-Muthanna Bridge, north of Baghdad.”
“The Imam was not hurt, but the gunmen succeeded to flee to an unknown destination,” the source added on condition of anonymity.
Earlier today, a bomb blast in al-Nahrawan area, southeast of Baghdad, left four casualties, while another blast in al-Rashidiyah area, in northern Baghdad, left five casualties.