Iraqi joint forces prevented an attempt from ISIS suicide attackers to infiltrate Balad district of Salahuddin Province, as Nineveh military leadership revealed that Mousl’s right bank will be fully liberated within days, saying that the Iraqi forces launched raids on the strongholds of the extremist group in the framework of the current military operation to liberate the Iraqi second largest city.
Iraqi troops have gained control on more regions in western Mosul and foiled a suicide attack by Islamic State militants, according to a source from the Iraqi army.
“Security forces were able to control wide parts in al-Zanjili district,” Leader of Nineveh’s operation Najm Al Jabory said. “Explosives were defused. Suicide attacks by IS fighters that sought hindering the advance of security troops were thwarted.”
“Federal Police troops arrested 23 IS members, including leaders, and controlled places that were used by the militants as booby trapping workshops,” he added. Meanwhile, Federal Police have announced murder of four IS snipers and bombarding of the area surrounding the Grand al-Nuri mosque in the western side of the city.
Located in the Old City, the mosque is the place from which Islamic State’s supreme leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi gave a famous sermon declaring the establishment of the group’s rule in Iraq and neighboring Syria.
Iraqi Defense Ministry said, in a statement, "The Chief of Staff of the Army Gen. Othman Al-Ghanmi received, the commander of the operations of Nineveh Maj. Gen. Najm Abdullah al-Jubouri." During the meeting, it added, the commander of Nineveh Operations gave a detailed explanation of the developments witnessed in Mosul and the progress achieved by the Iraqi armed forces. He also pointed to the current preparations for the removal of the remaining Nineveh land and its liberation in the coming days.
On his hand, the Chief of Staff of the army, according to the statement, praised the outstanding performance of the Iraqi army and the role performed by the Ministry of Defense to support the ongoing liberalization process. He stressed the need to exert more efforts to accelerate the liberation of the right bank of the city of Mosul as soon as possible.
In a statement, Lt.Gen. Shaker Jawdat, Federal Police chief, said troops combed areas in Bab al-Jadid and Bab al-Bayd districts looking for sleeper cells and secret tunnels. “Three rest houses including eight booby-trapped motorbikes and explosives were found.
Mosul is the Islamic State’s strongest stronghold in Iraq. Eastern Mosul was recaptured from IS in January, after a US-backed offensive was launched in October. A new offensive started in February to retake the west.
In the same context, Iraqi army commanders said army forces killed 30 Islamic State members and took over a command center on the borders between Anbar and Salahuddin provinces.
A source at the Anbar army command told Alsumaria news that a force from the army’s 7th division, backed by fighter jets and paramilitary forces, killed 30 IS members during an operation at the Malha desert region. The source said a communication facility and two booby-trapped vehicles were also destroyed in the assault.
Borders conjoining Anbar, Salahuddin and Diyala have witnessed occasional attacks by Islamic State against government and paramilitary troops deployments since Iraqi forces, backed by a U.S.-led coalition and PMus, launched a major offensive to retake areas occupied by IS since 2014, most notably the city of Mosul, Iraq’s second largest city and the group’s most important stronghold in the country.
Observers have said Islamic State’s occasional attacks against security and civilians outside Mosul aimed at distracting security attention from the Mosul front. IS still holds a few areas in Salahuddin, Diyala, Anbar and Kirkuk, but the Iraqi government, employing most of its military power in the Mosul campaign, is expected to aim at those strongholds once the battle in Mosul realizes victory.
On the political side, Iraq’s Vice President Iyad Allawi underlined the importance of Russian role to support the security and stability of the Middle East, saying that it could perform a major role to eliminate extremism from the region.
He added, during his meeting with Russian Ambassador to Iraq Maxime Maximov, “The region has been in frenzy for years, contributing to the escalation of tensions on a global scale.” He stressed the need for more cooperation between Russia on one hand and Europe and U.S on the other hand to contain the situation in the Middle East as soon as possible.