MOSUL, Iraq – The commander of Iraq’s counter-terrorism forces announced on Saturday that they had taken control of two more neighborhoods in eastern Mosul as twin blasts in Baghdad killed 28 and wounded 50 others.
“We have closed doors upon ISIS after pushing them back in both Quds one and two neighborhoods,” Abdulghani Assadi, Iraqi counter-terror commander, told Rudaw in an exclusive interview, reporting high casualties among ISIS.
“ISIS causalities are on the rise. 2,000 militants have been killed so far,” Assadi added, saying that clearing the east side of the city will happen within days.
“ISIS is no longer in Quds,” Assadi said, declaring victory in a neighborhood that is next to Karama where militants are fiercely resisting in an effort to maintain their grip on the area.
The Iraqi army has liberated more than 40 neighborhoods in their operation that began on October 17 to recapture the country’s second largest city, Mosul, from the militants.
ISIS militants have deployed a number of snipers inside residential houses in eastern Mosul, slowing down the advance of Iraqi forces.
“The enemies are unpredictably changing plans,” Assadi said, describing the difficulties they are facing. “We also make progress in our plans” of maintaining a decisive push to clear eastern Mosul from the militants in coming days.
As the Iraqi army advanced in Mosul, two suicide bombers blew up their explosives on Saturday in the busy al-Sinak market in the center of Baghdad, killing at least 28 people and wounding 50 others.
ISIS issued a statement claiming responsibility for the attack.
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