ISIS counterattacks in western Mosul cause chaos in once-liberated areas
ERBIL, Kurdistan Region – As Iraqi forces face counterattacks in areas of already cleared western Mosul, thousands of fleeing people are straining security-screening stations.
Iraq’s war media office said in a statement late Sunday night that a number of ISIS militants had tried to infiltrate the Tanak district in western Mosul, but counter-terrorism forces responded.
“There was fighting and bombing, airstrikes and killing; that’s why we left,” Huda Hussein told Oxfam NGO workers on a bus while leaving western Mosul earlier this month.
Huda is from the Hai Sala area of western Mosul.
“We held white flags and walked towards the Iraqi security forces,” Huda said, recalling her family’s escape. “They screened us there – fifteen to twenty families that had left together – then we went to houses in Washana to sleep.”
After families are screened they are taken to camps like Hamam Alil until they’re able to return home.
Videos posted by foreign journalists on social media on Sunday night showed dozens of vehicles backed up trying to leave the right bank of western Mosul amid the ISIS counter attacks.
ISIS militants had attacked neighborhoods of Tanak, Rajim Hadid and Yarmuk on Mosul's far right bank, causing tens of families to flee the area, the war media office stated. Also, a number of civilians and security forces have been killed and injured.
The war media office then declared, "the situations are under control."
Military officials have warned of an ISIS insurgency as it loses its ability to militarily dominate territory.
AFP reported Iraqi Lt. Col. Salam al-Obeidi said on Sunday that “65 to 70 percent of the Old City has been liberated, there is less than a square kilometer left to retake.
He estimated that only "a few hundred Daesh [ISIS] fighters" were left in the Old City.
Prime Minister and Commander of the armed forces Haider al-Abadi spoke of a “post-terrorism life” for Iraqis during his Eid al-Fitr address on Sunday.
The US-led Coalition says 1.9 million formerly displaced have now returned to their homes in Iraqi areas liberated from ISIS.
Abadi said on June 22 that “we will declare a complete control over Mosul in the coming days.”
The statement was a day after ISIS blew up the historic Al-Nuri Mosque and Al-Hadba Minaret in the Old City of western Mosul.
The Iraqi army had announced Tanak under full control on April 23.
Iraq’s war media office said in a statement late Sunday night that a number of ISIS militants had tried to infiltrate the Tanak district in western Mosul, but counter-terrorism forces responded.
“There was fighting and bombing, airstrikes and killing; that’s why we left,” Huda Hussein told Oxfam NGO workers on a bus while leaving western Mosul earlier this month.
Huda is from the Hai Sala area of western Mosul.
“We held white flags and walked towards the Iraqi security forces,” Huda said, recalling her family’s escape. “They screened us there – fifteen to twenty families that had left together – then we went to houses in Washana to sleep.”
After families are screened they are taken to camps like Hamam Alil until they’re able to return home.
Videos posted by foreign journalists on social media on Sunday night showed dozens of vehicles backed up trying to leave the right bank of western Mosul amid the ISIS counter attacks.
ISIS militants had attacked neighborhoods of Tanak, Rajim Hadid and Yarmuk on Mosul's far right bank, causing tens of families to flee the area, the war media office stated. Also, a number of civilians and security forces have been killed and injured.
The war media office then declared, "the situations are under control."
Military officials have warned of an ISIS insurgency as it loses its ability to militarily dominate territory.
AFP reported Iraqi Lt. Col. Salam al-Obeidi said on Sunday that “65 to 70 percent of the Old City has been liberated, there is less than a square kilometer left to retake.
He estimated that only "a few hundred Daesh [ISIS] fighters" were left in the Old City.
Prime Minister and Commander of the armed forces Haider al-Abadi spoke of a “post-terrorism life” for Iraqis during his Eid al-Fitr address on Sunday.
The US-led Coalition says 1.9 million formerly displaced have now returned to their homes in Iraqi areas liberated from ISIS.
Abadi said on June 22 that “we will declare a complete control over Mosul in the coming days.”
The statement was a day after ISIS blew up the historic Al-Nuri Mosque and Al-Hadba Minaret in the Old City of western Mosul.
The Iraqi army had announced Tanak under full control on April 23.