Iraqi forces achieve fresh territorial gains in western Mosul

Iraqi government forces have registered more territorial gains in the western part of Mosul as they continue their joint operations with fighters from allied Popular Mobilization Units to push Takfiri Daesh terrorists out of their last urban stronghold in the Arab country.

Major Ali Mohsen told Arabic-language Basnews news agency on Sunday that members of the Counter Terrorism Service (CTS) had liberated 17 Tamuz and 30 Tamuz neighborhoods, and reclaimed control over 60 percent of Rifaei district.

He added that Iraqi government forces have killed 45 Takfiri Daesh terrorists, including several militant commanders, during the operations.

Mohsen pointed out that a large number of Daesh militants have fled the areas as security forces are preparing to storm the al-Najjar neighborhood and Mosul Hotel, where the main the main command center of the terror outfit is based.

Captain Ahmed al-Obeidi of the Federal Police also said Daesh snipers have shot and killed 16 women as they were trying to flee Rifaei district towards liberated areas west of Mosul.

Obaidi added that Daesh is currently holding members of 30 families hostage in order to use them as human shields. 

Senior Daesh commander slain in Iraqi Air Force attack

Separately, Iraqi Air Force has killed a high-ranking commander of Daesh terrorist group during an assault that targeted an area in the western flank of Mosul. 

Odai al-Khadran, the governor of Khalis town, told Arabic-language al-Sumaria television network that the slain commander, only identified by the initials KA, was a very close aide to Daesh’s purported leader Ibrahim al-Samarrai aka Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi.

Four other top Daesh figures were killed in the aerial attack as well.

‘More than 90 percent of Mosul regained from Daesh’

Meanwhile, a senior official from the Iraqi government has said that government forces and allied fighters from Popular Mobilization Units, commonly known by the Arabic word Hashd al-Sha’abi, have established control over more than 90 percent of Mosul

“There are two important areas in Mosul. One is Kanisah, the other is 17 Tamuz district. The extremists first started to occupy Mosul there since June 2014," Wahab al-Tai, the media adviser to Iraqi Interior Minister Qasim Mohammad Jalal al-Araji, said.

Tai noted that the recapture of Tal Afar city, located 63 kilometers west of Mosul, will be put off until the full liberation of Mosul is complete.

“The Iraqi forces have priority targets. The joint operations have precise targets, including recapturing Hawijah and Tal Afar. Also, we have made a border defense strategy so we can defend the 480 kilometers of border line with Syria in western Iraq. This needs much effort and international cooperation,” he pointed out.

Iraqi army soldiers and volunteer fighters from the Popular Mobilization Units have made sweeping gains against the Takfiri elements since launching the Mosul operation.

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.

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