Iraqi forces fighting for remaining third of west Mosul’s old city
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.
Shakir Jawdat, commander of the Federal Police, said in an announcement that after heavy clashes, their forces managed to control the center of Bab al-Baith, seizing a large amount of medicines ISIS had confiscated.
The multiple advances on ISIS come after the militants launched a counterattack on the 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 late Sunday night.
A number of civilians and security forces were killed and injured in the attacks.
The war media office later declared "the situations are under control." Military officials warned of an ISIS insurgency as it loses its ability to militarily dominate territory.
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-Nur Mosque and al-Hadba Minaret in the Old City of western Mosul.
The Iraqi army had announced Tanak under full control on April 23.
Correction: A previous version of the story on Tuesday had incorrectly stated that the spokesperson of Iraq's Joint Operations Command had said only 1 percent of Mosul remained under ISIS control.