Troops close in on Mosul victory

Iraqi forces opened d exit routes for civilians to flee the Old City of Mosul yesterday as they battled to retake it from Islamic State militants.

US-trained urban warfare units closed in on four p o c k e t s of j i had i s t insurgents along two streets as the defenders mounted a last stand in what was the de facto capital of IS’s selfdeclared “caliphate”.

Iraqi authorities are hoping to declare victory in the northern city in the Muslim Eid holiday, which marks the end of the fasting month of Ramadan, during the next few days.

The advance allowed escape corridors to be carved out for civilians marooned behind IS lines.

A steady trickle of families f led yesterday, some with injured and malnourished children.

One mother said: “My baby only had bread and water for the past eight days.”

About 100 civ i l ians reached the safety of a government-held area west of the old city in one 20-minute period. Soldiers gave them food and water.

More than 100,000 civ i l ians, hal f of them children, remain trapped in crumbling old houses.

Military analysts said Baghdad’s campaign to recover Mosul gathered pace after IS blew up the 850 - year - old a l - Nur i mosque with its leaning minaret on Wednesday.

The mosque’s destruction meant troops no longer had to worry about damaging the ancient site.