The Iraqi army imposed on Thursday the control of the southern bank of the Tigris River after the liberation of three villages in the context of the ongoing operations to liberate the western side of the city of Mosul. Mean while, two citizens were killed and five others were injured after the collapse of an educational complex under construction south of Baghdad.
The commander of operations, " We are coming to Nineveh", Abdul Amir Rasheed Yarallah, said that the forces of the 9th Armored Division liberated the villages of Shuitah and Tel Asfour north of Tallul Athenha and the village of Saboon and raised the Iraqi flag, indicating that these forces imposed its control on the southern bank of the Tigris River.

The commander of the federal police, Raed Shaker Jawdat, said that a regiment of the Federal Police supported by the armored vehicle division penetrated the old city of the Bab al-Jadid axis towards Al-Nuri Mosque, pointing out that his forces managed to kill 13 members of IS , After the Iraqi air force directed qualitative strikes on sites and elements on the right coast of the city of Mosul.
The Iraqi Army Air Force, after receiving accurate intelligence, destroyed an arms store and killed 18 extremists in the village of Ahliya, in the Badush district, and destroyed a weapons and ammunition cache in the village of al-Tayr, in the area of ​​Al-Baaj.

The Interior Ministry revealed on Thursday the arrest of three elements belonging to IS organization, who were hidden among the displaced in the province of Kirkuk, pointing out that they were referred to the judiciary to complete the investigative procedures. while the director of police in Kirkuk, Sarhad Kadir, announced the arrest of two elements of IS participated in the slaughter of elements of the Peshmerga forces in the province of Hawija, southwest of the province.

Brigadier Qader said that following the availability of the necessary information, a police force arrested a member of the Daqqq district in the south of Kirkuk, and another in cooperation with the emergency police inside the center of the province, adding that these elements participated in all battles against the Peshmerga forces and Iraqi forces In the open area within the city of Tikrit.

Over 5,000 displaced families returned back home at Anbar province, western Iraq, as some regions were freed from Islamic State, Al Taghier website reported.
 Head of the Ministry of Displacement and Migration branch in Anbar Mohamed Rashid said 2,071 families returned back to Fallujah, while 1,432 families went back to Haditha city, 931 families returned to Ramadi city and 579 families returned back to al-Khalidiya city. Meanwhile, 532 families returned back to Hīt district, while 166 families returned back in Saqlawiyah city
Iraqi Observatory for Human Rights previously estimated number of refugees at more than 400,000 due to battles between Iraqi security forces and Islamic State militants in Mosul since security operations launched in October.