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5:43pm
Coalition airstrikes hit Mosul's last bridge in lead up to relaunch; Army liberates parts of al-Quds
In the days leading up to today’s relaunch of the Mosul offensive, the coalition targeted three of Mosul’s bridges “to reduce enemy freedom of movement, and to further disrupt ISIL's ability to reinforce, resupply, or use vehicle-borne improvised explosive devices in East Mosul,” reads a statement issued by Combined Joint Task Force of the US-led global coalition on Thursday evening.
Iraqi forces are advancing on multiple axes, the statement confirmed. To the north, the 16th Division of the army pushed south. To the east, Counter-terrorism forces moved west and south. And to the south, the Federal Police worked to clear neighbourhoods.
“The Iraqi multi-axis advance opens two new fronts within the city and increases pressure on ISIL's dwindling ability to generate forces, move fighters or resupply,” reads the statement.
The coalition, on the request of Baghdad, hit Mosul’s fourth and fifth bridges for a second time on Tuesday, and on Monday they struck the Old Bridge, the last bridge that had remained crossing the Tigris River.
“Coalition forces provide operational advice and assistance to Iraqi units along with intelligence, logistics, artillery and air support to the Iraqi Security Forces in a partnership to defeat ISIL in Iraq,” the statement concludes, adding that they have hit ISIS with more than 7,650 munitions since the operation began on October 17.
Iraqi armed forces liberated parts of al-Quds neighborhood in Mosul’s southeast, they announced in a statement Thursday evening.
A Rudaw reporter from the scene added that the advancing Iraqi troops are aiming at liberating Karama neighborhood as well. The neigborhoods are considered to be main bases for ISIS in the city.
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3:48 pm
Two villages liberated
Iraqi security forces have liberated the villages of al-Sada and Tawilah, north of Mosul, Lt. Gen. Abdul Amir Rasheed Jarallah, the commander for the Nineveh Operation said in a military statement.
He also said that the ISIS commander for the northern front on the left bank was killed in coalition airstrikes.
He added that Iraqi forces have destroyed eight vehicle-borne improvised explosive device (VBIEDs), and killed 70 ISIS militants on the northern front, including two snipers.
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3:22 pm
Iraqi helicopters attack ISIS positions in Mosul
Heavy clashes have erupted between advancing Iraqi security forces and ISIS militants in the eastern districts of al-Quds and al-Karama, Rudaw's correspondent Farhad Dolamari who is embedded with the Iraqi forces reported.
He said that Iraqi helicopters are attacking ISIS positions in these two districts, making some progress in al-Quds.
VIDEO: A plume of smoke rises in the sky over al-Quds on Thursday afternoon
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12:45 pm
Mosul residents displaced to areas under ISIS in central Mosul, Iraqi minister
Iraq’s Immigration Minister Darbaz Mohammed told Rudaw on Thursday that 140,000 people have been displaced from their homes since the start of the Iraqi army offensive against ISIS in Mosul more than two months ago.
He said that they are expecting a similar number of people to flee their homes in the second phase of the offensive.
Mohammed also added that some people have been forced to flee towards areas still under ISIS control because they could not make their way to liberated areas.
A week ago, the immigration ministry said they are receiving 2,000 displaced people in their camps on a daily basis.
More than 50,000 children have fled their homes in #Mosul since Oct. 17th, including Sidra, Ayat and Mahmoud. #Iraq pic.twitter.com/yLA105OXNJ
— UNICEF Iraq يونيسف (@UNICEFiraq) December 29, 2016
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11:46 am
Iraqi forces advance on several districts
Iraqi Federal police have initiated advances on the districts of Somar, Saha, Intisar, and the industrial area on the left bank of Mosul, Brig. Gen. Yahya Rasul, the spokesperson for the Iraqi Joint Command said, according to Iraqi state media.
Follow the war on Rudaw’s Live Map
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
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11:09 am
Clashes in Intisar and Somar, southeastern Mosul
Clashes are reported between Iraqi federal police and ISIS militants in two southeastern districts of Somar and Intisar, Iraqi Federal Police said. They added that six ISIS militants were killed, but reported no casualties from their side.
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11:04 am
Iraqi security forces began the second phase of the Mosul operation in a number of eastern and southeastern districts of the city on Thursday, following a major halt of the offensive for much of December, security officials said.
The fresh offensive begun at 7:00 am this morning, Abdul-Ghani Al-Asadi, commander of the Iraqi Counter-terrorism Forces (ICTF) told Rudaw.
He said his forces have entered the eastern district of al-Quds, and made “progress” in the early hours of Thursday morning.
A military statement for the Nineveh operation said that the Iraqi army, the federal police and the ICTF are taking part in a joint operation to “fully liberate the left bank of Mosul.”
An officer from the rapid response forces told Reuters news agency that they are pushing from the southeastern district of Intisar.
"Our troops now are advancing. In the first five or 10 minutes they took 500 metres. Just now they are starting to shoot," the rapid response officer said, an elite force under the command of the Iraqi interior ministry.
The commander of the Golden Division, Fazil Barwari, earlier told Rudaw that he expects to liberate the east side of the city by New Year ’s Eve.
Speaking to Rudaw on Wednesday, Colonel John L. Dorrian, the spokesman for the US-led coalition against ISIS, said that the Iraqis were doing some “operational refit in preparing their forces to push further into Mosul.”
Col. Dorrian also said that the coalition forces will continue to support the advancing Iraqi forces with airstrikes whenever they are ready to move forward.
The US troops in Iraq are expected to take a more active role in the second phase.
The Iraqi army launched an offensive to retake Mosul on October 17 and after several weeks of fighting on its outskirts they are now inside the city where they are engaged in daily battle with ISIS militants.
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