Iraqi forces attack IS in east Mosul neighborhood

The Iraqi invasion of Mosul continues to slowly trudge alone, with officials openly saying they believe the fight is going to take months.

“We don’t know if the current fighting represents the most heavily fortified (and) defended neighbourhoods or a precursor to the toughest fighting” in the old city, Knights said.

He says Iraqi forces gave the people their own food but did not have enough to meet their needs.

The battle has exacerbated widespread displacement of residents in northern Iraq and placed heavy demands on humanitarian groups working to provide aid for civilians making a getaway from the war, Refugees International said in a report Tuesday.

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said last month that Turkey was reinforcing its troops on the border with Iraq and would respond if the militias “cause terror” in Tal Afar.

Iraqi counter-terrorism forces breached Islamic State defenses in east Mosul two weeks ago but have faced resistance from the militants, who have fought back with suicide vehicle bombs, snipers and waves of counter-attacks.

One boy was killed and another had his leg ripped open by mortar fire in east Mosul earlier this week, while a field clinic in the area also recently treated a young girl whose leg was hit by shrapnel.

Hundreds of civilians who managed to get out converged on the streets to exchange news. People argued and bought dozens of packs each.

“Before, it was prohibited, cigarettes are prohibited”, said one resident, Hani Hamed, laughing happily.

U.S-led coalition forces heavily attacked the airbase in March during Iraq’s invasion March 2003, and the US troops used it later for the ground forces. The World Food Program and the Food and Agricultural Organisation (FAO) say factors like rising prices, poor weather, general instability and the lack of fertiliser and seeds could force some farmers to stop producing.

A soldier was killed and three were wounded, two officers said, speaking on condition of anonymity because they were not authorised to talk to reporters.

The officials said at least four mortars landed in the eastern Mosul neighborhood of al Zahraa, which was declared under the full control of Iraqi security forces almost a week ago.

“We haven’t had out the measuring stick and done the percentages”, he said at the news conference at the Qayyara military base south of Mosul which is the main base of the campaign.

In April 2015, the Islamic State extremists released a shocking video that showed how they had hammered, bulldozed and blew up parts of the 13th century B.C. Assyrian capital in the Tigris River valley south of Mosul.

“The forces stationed in the liberated districts east of Mosul were able to repel a number of fierce attacks launched at dawn by Daesh”, Colonel Dureed Saeed added.

Col. John Dorrian, a spokesman for the US -led forces supporting the operation, said at the same news conference that airstrikes had destroyed 59 suicide auto bombs and over 80 tunnels.