iraqi forces pause mosul push over concern for civilian casualties
Last Updated : GMT 06:49:16
Arab Today, arab today
Arab Today, arab today
Last Updated : GMT 06:49:16
Arab Today, arab today

Iraqi forces pause Mosul push over concern for civilian casualties

Arab Today, arab today

Arab Today, arab today Iraqi forces pause Mosul push over concern for civilian casualties

Iraqi displaced people
Mosul - Arab Today

Iraqi government forces paused in their push to recapture western Mosul from IS militants on Saturday because of the high rate of civilian casualties, a security forces spokesman said.

The halt was called as the United Nations expressed its profound concern over reports of an incident during the battle on March 17 that killed or wounded dozens of people in the IS-held Al Jadidah district of Mosul, apparently involving air strikes by Iraqi or U.S.-led coalition forces. 

"We are stunned by this terrible loss of life," Lise Grande, the humanitarian coordinator for Iraq, said in a statement.

Civil defence officials and residents have said many people lay buried in collapsed buildings after air strikes against IS insurgents triggered a big explosion.

The exact cause of the collapses was not clear but a local lawmaker and two residents said the air strikes may have detonated an IS truck filled with explosives, destroying buildings in the heavily-populated area.

Reports on the numbers of civilian casualties have varied but Civil Defence chief Brigadier Mohammed Al Jawari told reporters on Thursday that rescue teams had recovered 40 bodies from collapsed buildings.

The coalition is investigating the reports.

Residents escaping besieged western Mosul have told of Iraqi and U.S.-led coalition air strikes demolishing buildings and killing civilians in several cases.

The insurgents have also used civilians as human shields and opened fire on them as they try to escape IS-held neighbourhoods, fleeing residents said.

"The recent high death toll among civilians inside the Old City forced us to halt operations to review our plans," a Federal Police spokesman said on Saturday. "It's a time for weighing new offensive plans and tactics. No combat operations are to go on."

The U.S.-backed offensive to drive IS out of Mosul, now in its sixth month, has recaptured the entire eastern side of Mosul and about half of the west.

But advances have stuttered in the last two weeks as fighting enters the narrow alleys of the Old City, home to the Al Nuri mosque.

"We need to make sure that taking out Daesh (IS) from the Old City will not cost unwanted high casualties among civilians. We need surgical accurate operations to target terrorists without causing collateral damage among residents," the Federal Police spokesman said.

An army statement published in the Al Sabah state newspaper said that future operations would be carried out by ground troops highly trained for urban combat.

"Our heroic forces are committed to the rules of engagement which ensure protection of civilians" the statement said.

A U.S. deputy commanding general for the coalition told Reuters on Friday that the solution could lie in a change of tactics. The Iraqi military is assessing opening up another front and isolating the Old City, where the militants have put up fierce resistance, U.S. Army Brigadier General John Richardson said.

Fleeing residents have described grim living conditions inside the city, saying there was no running water or electricity and no food coming in. Aid agencies say as many as 600,000 civilians remain in the western half of Mosul.

But families are streaming out of the northern city, Iraq's second largest, in their thousands each day, headed for cold, crowded camps or to stay with relatives. Hunger and fighting are making life unbearable inside.

The Iraqi Observatory for Human Rights said that since the campaign on western Mosul began on February 19, unconfirmed reports said nearly 700 civilians had been killed by government and coalition air strikes or IS actions.

The militants have used car bombs, snipers and mortar fire to counter the offensive. They have also stationed themselves in homes belonging to Mosul residents to fire at Iraqi troops, often drawing air or artillery strikes that have killed civilians.

The United Nations’ Grande said civilians were at extreme risk as the fighting in Mosul intensified and all sides must to do their utmost to avoid such casualties.

"International humanitarian law is clear. Parties to the conflict - all parties - are obliged to do everything possible to protect civilians. This means that combatants cannot use people as human shields and cannot imperil lives through indiscriminate use of fire-power," she said.

Source :Times Of Oman

arabstoday
arabstoday

Name *

E-mail *

Comment Title*

Comment *

: Characters Left

Mandatory *

Terms of use

Publishing Terms: Not to offend the author, or to persons or sanctities or attacking religions or divine self. And stay away from sectarian and racial incitement and insults.

I agree with the Terms of Use

Security Code*

iraqi forces pause mosul push over concern for civilian casualties iraqi forces pause mosul push over concern for civilian casualties

 



Name *

E-mail *

Comment Title*

Comment *

: Characters Left

Mandatory *

Terms of use

Publishing Terms: Not to offend the author, or to persons or sanctities or attacking religions or divine self. And stay away from sectarian and racial incitement and insults.

I agree with the Terms of Use

Security Code*

iraqi forces pause mosul push over concern for civilian casualties iraqi forces pause mosul push over concern for civilian casualties

 



GMT 10:59 2018 Friday ,07 December

Houthi militia shell commercial center in Hodeidah

GMT 21:12 2017 Sunday ,10 December

UAE, Sri Lanka advancing bilateral relations

GMT 19:21 2017 Wednesday ,08 November

Iqbal Day marked in Paris

GMT 18:14 2017 Wednesday ,31 May

A handbag? For $380k, it's yours

GMT 21:17 2017 Saturday ,21 October

EU summit to throw Britain a Brexit bone

GMT 15:45 2017 Friday ,04 August

Yemeni army liberated more areas in Shabwa

GMT 20:23 2017 Thursday ,14 September

Paul Auster tops shortlist for Man Booker prize

GMT 09:55 2017 Tuesday ,14 November

Horford leads way as Celtics win 12th straight

GMT 20:04 2018 Sunday ,02 September

Drive to teach food safety to housewives

GMT 08:54 2014 Monday ,17 November

German artist hits back at Bayreuth Festival

GMT 13:15 2018 Wednesday ,17 January

Bassil welcomes Ambassadors of Iraq, Hungary

GMT 01:05 2017 Thursday ,23 March

Strawberry prices fall to Dh10 a kilogram

GMT 08:33 2017 Tuesday ,14 February

Asian markets dip, dollar hit by Flynn resignation

GMT 15:53 2017 Wednesday ,23 August

Six dead as typhoon smashes into Macau and Hong Kong

GMT 19:43 2017 Sunday ,05 March

FNC Speaker, Irish official discuss cooperation

GMT 13:01 2017 Friday ,10 March

Hohns named as Australia chief cricket selector
Arab Today, arab today
 
 Arab Today Facebook,arab today facebook  Arab Today Twitter,arab today twitter Arab Today Rss,arab today rss  Arab Today Youtube,arab today youtube  Arab Today Youtube,arab today youtube

Maintained and developed by Arabs Today Group SAL.
All rights reserved to Arab Today Media Group 2021 ©

Maintained and developed by Arabs Today Group SAL.
All rights reserved to Arab Today Media Group 2021 ©

arabstoday arabstoday arabstoday arabstoday
arabstoday arabstoday arabstoday
arabstoday
بناية النخيل - رأس النبع _ خلف السفارة الفرنسية _بيروت - لبنان
arabstoday, Arabstoday, Arabstoday