Iraqi forces search for bombs in Mosul
near mosul (Iraq) — Iraqi forces worked to clear bombs and flush out any remaining militant fighters in recaptured areas of west Mosul on Wednesday to set the stage for an offensive against the Old City.
Supported by US-led coalition air strikes, Iraqi forces have made steady progress in their battle to retake Mosul, Iraq’s second city and the largest that was seized by the Daesh group.
Iraqi forces have recaptured a series of neighbourhoods in Mosul as well as the provincial government headquarters and the museum where Daesh militants infamously filmed themselves destroying priceless artefacts.
The militants are under mounting pressure from twin US-backed ground offensives targeting Mosul and their other main stronghold, Raqqa in Syria. Daesh overran large areas of both countries in 2014, but has since lost ground.
The focus on Wednesday was on clearing the newly retaken areas and defusing bombs in booby-trapped houses, Lt-Col Abdulamir Al Mohammedawi of the elite Rapid Response Division said.
The battle for the Old City may see some of the toughest fighting of the operation to retake west Mosul.
“The liberation of the city centre is a first and very important step for beginning the liberation of the Old City,” Mohammedawi said, referring to an area near the old city that Iraqi forces have recaptured in recent days. “The Old City is a very difficult area” of narrow streets and closely spaced houses, he said.
Hundreds of thousands of civilians
The liberation of the city centre is a first and very important step for beginning the liberation of the Old city. The Old city is a very difficult area of narrow streets and closely spaced houses Abdulamir Al Mohammedawi, Rapid Response Division
are believed to still be trapped under militant rule in the Old City. The fighting in west Mosul has forced more than 51,000 people to flee their homes, according to the International Organisation for Migration.
But 750,000 people are believed to have remained in west Mosul under Daesh, whose fighters have used civilians as human shields to defend themselves from approaching forces.
“We couldn’t go outside because of the Daesh fighters,” said Manhal, a 28-year-old resident of Al Danadan, a district now under Iraqi control. “Those who went out were taken hostage. The fighting was very violent. Mortar rounds fell on our roof and inside our yard,” he added.
Security forces launched a major operation to retake west Mosul on February 19, but several days of bad weather slowed their pace until a renewed push began on Sunday.
We couldn’t go outside because of the daesh fighters. Those who went out were taken hostage. The fighting was very violent. Mortar rounds fell on our roof and inside our yard Manhal, resident of Al Danadan
Federal police commander Lieutenant General Raed Shakir Jawdat said anti-Daesh forces were now setting up defences in recaptured areas as they eyed the next phase.
“Berms and barriers were set up to protect (the) forces and they began search operations in Al Dawasa and Al Danadan and Al Agaidat neighbourhoods to find (Daesh) remnants to prepare for the completion of offensive operations,” he said.