Iraqi forces gearing up to retake Mosul’s Qadisiyah from ISIS
MOSUL, Iraq - Iraqi forces are gearing up for an offensive to retake Mosul’s eastern Qadisyiah 1 neighborhood from the extremist group ISIS.
Brigadier General Abdulwahab Saadi, commander of the Iraqi Counter-terror forces (ICTF) told Rudaw at his base in the recently liberated neighborhood of Zahra that his forces are preparing to push into Qadisiyah 1.
“We are in Zahra and we are making our way to Qadisyah 1,” said Saadi. “ISIS militants can’t resist like they did before,” he added, downplaying the ISIS strength.
Friday marked the 33rd day of the Iraqi army operation to retake Mosul from ISIS.
Coalition and Kurdish Peshmerga forces have also contributed to the offensive on from the air and on the ground respectively.
“We will not rest until ISIL [ISIS] is defeated,” said Bret Mcgurk, Obama’s Special Envoy for the Global Coalition to Counter ISISl.”
“Much work ahead and our coalition is as strong and united as ever been,” Mcgurk said from on his Twitter account on Thursday.
Bottom line: Much work ahead and our @coalition is as strong & united as it has ever been. We will not rest until #ISIL is destroyed. #داعش
— Brett McGurk (@brett_mcgurk) November 17, 2016
The Shiite Hashd Al-Shaabi paramilitary forces are also in the midst of their own offensive against ISIS in the city of Tal Afar west of Mosul.
They claimed earlier in the week to have reclaimed the city’s airport.
Captain Badirkhan Govaiy of the Kurdish Zeravani forces told Rudaw exclusively that, “ISIS militants were seen escaping Tal Affar, making their way to Baaj, and then to [Rojava].
Follow the war on Rudaw’s Live Map
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