Eastern Mosul now ‘under Iraqi control’

GOVERNMENT troops are now in “full control” of eastern Mosul, according to Iraq’s military, after routing Islamic State militants from that part of the city.

The commander of the Iraqi counter-terrorism forces, Lt Gen Talib Shaghati, said the success of the Iraqi forces is “unprecedented”.

The advance – more than three months since the operation to free Mosul started in October – comes following a push by Iraqi troops over the past days in the last IS-held neighbourhoods in east Mosul, closing in on the Tigris River that roughly divides the city.

Mosul, which is Iraq’s second-largest city and the Islamic State group’s last urban stronghold, fell to IS in the summer of 2014, when the militant group captured large areas of northern and western Iraq.

Hailing the “big victory”, Lieutenant General Talib Shaghati said plans were now being drawn up to retake the western part of the city.

However, skirmishes and clashes continued in some pockets along the Tigris in eastern Mosul, according to an Iraqi special forces spokesman, who said his unit was still pushing into the Ghabat area along the river bank.

Small arms fire could be heard and at least one civilian was wounded by mortar fire.

Also, some commanders on the ground disputed Lt Gen Shaghati’s claim of “full control” of eastern Mosul, with Lt Gen Abdul-Amir Raheed Yar Allah saying the eastern side “has not been fully liberated ... and the advance is still continuing”.

Lt Gen Yar Allah, who commands army operations in Ninevah, where Mosul is the provincial capital, said the special forces “have done their duty” in eastern Mosul.