Mosul civilians evacuated

MOSUL: Iraqi government forces battling Islamic State (IS) militants in Mosul’s western side evacuated hundreds of civilians from the IS-held city centre on Tuesday, Iraqi officers said.

“Our forces evacuated civilians to prevent terrorists from using them as human shields, while our troops are pushing inside the old city centre to recapture the al-Nuri Mosque,” said federal police chief, Lieutenant-General Raid Shakir Jawdat.