iraqi forces make new push in mosul old city
Last Updated : GMT 09:07:40
Egypt Today, egypt today
Egypt Today, egypt today
Last Updated : GMT 09:07:40
Egypt Today, egypt today

Iraqi forces make new push in Mosul Old City

Egypt Today, egypt today

Egypt Today, egypt 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

egypttoday
egypttoday

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 09:51 2016 Tuesday ,29 March

Back to drawing board for new father Murray

GMT 09:17 2017 Monday ,13 February

RAK police seek help to locate missing girl

GMT 21:52 2011 Monday ,08 August

Leverkusen\'s Giefer hospitalised

GMT 23:05 2017 Wednesday ,25 January

Millions travel for China’s Lunar New Year festival

GMT 23:06 2017 Tuesday ,24 January

Pakistan military tests nuclear-capable missile

GMT 11:34 2017 Tuesday ,14 February

Artist makes NY fashion week debut on a bus

GMT 14:35 2018 Monday ,22 January

Azza Fahmy Jewellery announces UK store launch

GMT 07:41 2014 Wednesday ,19 March

Nail brand The Lacquer Lab launches

GMT 15:19 2011 Tuesday ,02 August

Orwellian Barton forced to train alone by Newcastle

GMT 12:25 2016 Wednesday ,14 December

Evaluation of Participating Companies Goes in Full Swing

GMT 13:37 2017 Monday ,25 December

Abducted Yemenis kept in chains in Houthi jails

GMT 20:05 2011 Wednesday ,20 July

Maid repatriated after 3-year ordeal

GMT 01:09 2012 Wednesday ,15 February

Elegant Patch Sofa

GMT 09:45 2016 Friday ,25 November

In French missionary retirement home

GMT 06:06 2011 Monday ,12 December

Homemade Pet treats maker

GMT 04:41 2017 Monday ,09 January

Emirates Youth Council holds first meeting of 2017

GMT 08:09 2014 Thursday ,05 June

Opel outlines growth plan until 2022

GMT 11:27 2017 Thursday ,21 December

Dollar exchange stable at Egypt's major banks

GMT 08:48 2017 Sunday ,29 October

Spain seizes control of 'independent' Catalonia

GMT 17:27 2017 Monday ,13 November

EU's Mogherini urges 'no external interference'

GMT 07:29 2017 Tuesday ,19 December

Helmy el-Namnam hails Sharjah Ruler's support

GMT 13:49 2017 Wednesday ,29 November

ARIES (March21st-April20th)
 
 Egypt Today Facebook,egypt today facebook  Egypt Today Twitter,egypt today twitter Egypt Today Rss,egypt today rss  Egypt Today Youtube,egypt today youtube  Egypt Today Youtube,egypt 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 ©

egypttoday egypttoday egypttoday egypttoday
egypttoday egypttoday egypttoday
egypttoday
بناية النخيل - رأس النبع _ خلف السفارة الفرنسية _بيروت - لبنان
egypttoday, Egypttoday, Egypttoday