iraqi forces make new push in mosul old city
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 make new push in Mosul Old City

Arab Today, arab today

Arab Today, arab today Iraqi forces make new push in Mosul Old City

A sniper of the Iraqi Federal Police takes his position at a destroyed builiding near IS militants' positions
Mosul(Iraq) - Arab today

Iraqi forces said they launched new assaults in Mosul's Old City on Monday after more than two weeks of only small advances and a high civilian death toll appeared to prompt a change in tactics.

A March 17 explosion that killed between 60 and 240 people according to conflicting accounts cast a shadow over the U.S.-backed offensive to drive IS militants out of Iraq's second largest city, and the parliament speaker spoke of ceasing operations until civilian casualties could be avoided. 

The onslaught to oust IS from its last major Iraq stronghold has since October recaptured the whole east side of Mosul and half of the west, which contains the ancient quarter from where IS proclaimed its caliphate spanning large tracts of Iraq and Syria in 2014.

The civilian death toll has increased in the more densely-populated west of Mosul as the militants have used homes for cover, drawing air strikes that have killed residents.

Iraqi forces have discussed new tactics, which a U.S. military official said might include opening a second front and trying to isolate the Old City.

"Federal police and Rapid Response units started to advance in the southwestern part of the Old City" towards the Al-Nuri mosque area, the police said in a statement on Monday. A federal police officer said the attacks were "the start of the operations to seal off the Old City and prevent IS from receiving reinforcements and fleeing".

The objective, he said, was to "tighten the noose" around IS. Reuters reporters on the ground saw helicopters carrying out strikes.

Iraq's elite Counter-Terrorism Service, which is fighting in districts to the west of the Old City, made some advances last week. If they push further north, this would help encircle the Old City. U.S. Army Brigadier General John Richardson, a commander in the U.S.-led coalition, said on Friday that Iraqi forces were considering isolating the Old City rather than fighting through it while opening up a second front.

The change in tactics came amid uproar over the March 17 incident, in which local officials say a U.S. coalition air strike demolished buildings killing scores of people, with some citing a death toll of more than 200.

The coalition said it had carried out strikes in that area on the day, and that it is investigating. Iraq's military said 61 bodies had been recovered from a building IS had booby-trapped, but that there was no sign the structure had been struck by a coalition air strike.

Iraqi parliament speaker Salim Al-Jabouri suggested on Monday that operations should be suspended if more civilian casualties occurred, until the issue could be addressed. "Should civilian casualties continue, the trend will be to cease operations until necessary plans can be found that ensure civilian safety," he was cited by Al Arabiya news as saying.

Source: Timesofoman

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 make new push in mosul old city iraqi forces make new push in mosul old city

 



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 make new push in mosul old city iraqi forces make new push in mosul old city

 



GMT 10:10 2017 Thursday ,09 February

3 Important Elements You Have to Consider

GMT 04:03 2017 Monday ,24 April

Bella Hadid ‘dying’ to visit Palestine

GMT 19:25 2016 Wednesday ,25 May

The Brooklyn Desk by Oeuf NYC

GMT 07:49 2018 Friday ,05 January

2 Russian servicemen killed

GMT 07:58 2018 Monday ,01 January

Italy orders N. Korea's envoy to leave

GMT 08:45 2017 Wednesday ,20 December

US military imagines war without GPS

GMT 17:26 2017 Sunday ,17 December

Putin thanks Trump for help in foiling attack plot

GMT 22:19 2017 Monday ,16 October

Cairo-hosted Fatwa conf. new contribution

GMT 02:27 2016 Friday ,10 June

Video hints Japan abetting illegal ivory trade

GMT 07:04 2017 Wednesday ,19 April

1,883 Bahrainis found jobs in March

GMT 14:24 2016 Tuesday ,22 November

Citi and JPMorgan top list of ‘globally banks’

GMT 21:43 2017 Friday ,01 September

People question Nazaruddin`s repatriation expenses

GMT 09:41 2017 Wednesday ,19 April

OIC concerned over violence in Mali

GMT 01:30 2017 Friday ,27 October

May22/Jun21

GMT 05:38 2016 Friday ,30 December

Dubai Airports divert 13 flights due to heavy fog

GMT 11:38 2017 Saturday ,14 January

Mexico names new ambassador to US

GMT 12:03 2017 Wednesday ,22 March

Kuwait to mark World Water Day

GMT 15:00 2017 Wednesday ,27 September

HM King receives invitation from Egyptian President

GMT 02:45 2017 Tuesday ,05 December

President Bashir arrives in Chad

GMT 02:45 2017 Wednesday ,16 August

Turkmen President Visits Pakistan
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