MOSUL, Iraq--Iraqi forces have liberated the entire Mosul University campus, as well the southern and eastern parts on the left bank of Tigris river that bisects the city into the east and west, security officials said.
Only some districts remain under the control of ISIS militants on the eastern side, located north and east of the city.
“The federal police...and the 9th armored division, with the support from the heroic air force of the army and the international coalition, have liberated the entire southern part of the left bank within the frame of the second phase of ‘We are coming Nineveh’ operation,” the Iraqi Joint Command said in a statement.
There are more than a dozen districts on the southern part of the city, importantly al-Salam where in early December Iraqi forces had to withdraw from a hospital they retook briefly following heavy fire from ISIS militants. The coalition provided air support to secure the withdrawal.
Sabah al-Numan, spokesperson for the elite Iraqi Counter Terrorism Forces (ICTS), told Rudaw English on Saturday evening that he can say "with confidence" that they have liberated the entire left bank of city since "there are only a numer of small districts" under ISIS control currently surrounded by Iraqi forces.
Rudaw’s Sidad Lashkri who was embedded with the ICTS in Mosul university said that airstrikes were carried out against the ISIS position before making their way into different buildings in the university, one of largest educations compounds in Iraq.
The ICTS brought in tanks and heavy weaponry into the compound.
"The forces were able to liberate the University in a record time,” Talib Kanani, ICTS commander told the state-run TV from the cultural center of Mosul University, “soon the left bank will be liberated, and [then] all other districts of Mosul city."
In early 2016, the university was bombed by coalition warplanes after ISIS established headquarters there.
Kanani then claimed that “the majority of eastern districts, or rather all of the districts [on the eastern front] have been liberated.”
ICTS on Friday liberated the three districts of Faisaliyah, Nasr, and Sadriyah on the eastern edge of Tigris river, and al-Kafaat Ula in the city’s northeast as well as several buildings in Mosul University. They also liberated the governorate building, and Mosul provincial council building.
A top ICTS commander told Rudaw TV that Friday was a “hard” day for ISIS in Mosul.
"It was especially hard for the enemy, because it tried to put up a strong fight against our forces, but instead many of [its militants] were killed," Lieutenant General Abdul Ghani al-Assadi said on Friday night from Bartella.
The Joint Command of the Iraqi army was forced on Friday to issue a statement when media reports circulated that all of eastern Mosul had been liberated. It denied the reports.
Rudaw’s Live Map shows there are still more than a dozen districts held by ISIS on the eastern side of the river.
Only some districts remain under the control of ISIS militants on the eastern side, located north and east of the city.
“The federal police...and the 9th armored division, with the support from the heroic air force of the army and the international coalition, have liberated the entire southern part of the left bank within the frame of the second phase of ‘We are coming Nineveh’ operation,” the Iraqi Joint Command said in a statement.
There are more than a dozen districts on the southern part of the city, importantly al-Salam where in early December Iraqi forces had to withdraw from a hospital they retook briefly following heavy fire from ISIS militants. The coalition provided air support to secure the withdrawal.
Sabah al-Numan, spokesperson for the elite Iraqi Counter Terrorism Forces (ICTS), told Rudaw English on Saturday evening that he can say "with confidence" that they have liberated the entire left bank of city since "there are only a numer of small districts" under ISIS control currently surrounded by Iraqi forces.
Rudaw’s Sidad Lashkri who was embedded with the ICTS in Mosul university said that airstrikes were carried out against the ISIS position before making their way into different buildings in the university, one of largest educations compounds in Iraq.
The ICTS brought in tanks and heavy weaponry into the compound.
"The forces were able to liberate the University in a record time,” Talib Kanani, ICTS commander told the state-run TV from the cultural center of Mosul University, “soon the left bank will be liberated, and [then] all other districts of Mosul city."
In early 2016, the university was bombed by coalition warplanes after ISIS established headquarters there.
Kanani then claimed that “the majority of eastern districts, or rather all of the districts [on the eastern front] have been liberated.”
ICTS on Friday liberated the three districts of Faisaliyah, Nasr, and Sadriyah on the eastern edge of Tigris river, and al-Kafaat Ula in the city’s northeast as well as several buildings in Mosul University. They also liberated the governorate building, and Mosul provincial council building.
A top ICTS commander told Rudaw TV that Friday was a “hard” day for ISIS in Mosul.
"It was especially hard for the enemy, because it tried to put up a strong fight against our forces, but instead many of [its militants] were killed," Lieutenant General Abdul Ghani al-Assadi said on Friday night from Bartella.
The Joint Command of the Iraqi army was forced on Friday to issue a statement when media reports circulated that all of eastern Mosul had been liberated. It denied the reports.
Rudaw’s Live Map shows there are still more than a dozen districts held by ISIS on the eastern side of the river.
Map legend:
Dark green - under Peshmerga control
Light green - encircled/battling by Peshmerga
Red - under Iraqi control
Pink - encircled/battling by Iraqi forces
Yellow - under Hashd al-Shaabi control
Orange - encircled/battling by Hashd al-Shaabi
VIDEO: the elite Iraqi Counter Terrorism Forces (ICTS) advance on Mosul University on Saturday.
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