Iraqi special forces near Mosul after dawn assault
Daesh absorbs huge losses as troops make major advance in mission to liberate city
BAZWAYA, IRAQ— Iraqi special forces stood poised to enter Mosul in an offensive to drive out Daesh militants after sweeping into the last village on the city’s eastern edge Monday while fending off suicide car bombs without losing a soldier.
Armoured vehicles, including Abrams tanks, drew fire from mortars and small arms as they moved on the village of Bazwaya in an assault that began at dawn, while artillery and airstrikes hit Daesh (also known as ISIS or ISIL) positions.
By evening, the fighting had stopped and units took up positions less than a kilometre from Mosul’s eastern border and about eight kilometres from the centre, two weeks into the offensive to retake Iraq’s second-largest city.
“We will enter the city of Mosul soon and liberate it from Daesh,” said Brig. Gen. Haider Fadhil of Iraq’s special forces. He added that more than 20 militants had been killed while his forces suffered only one light injury from a fall.
Three suicide car bombers had tried to stop the advance before the army took control of Bazwaya, but the troops destroyed them, he said.
The army said another unit, its 9th Division, had moved toward Mosul and was about five kilometres from its eastern outskirts, the neighbourhood of Gogjali.
The city was captured by Daesh from an Iraqi force in 2014.
Since Oct. 17, Iraqi forces and their Kurdish allies, Sunni tribesmen and Shiite militias have been converging on Mosul from all directions. Entering Gogjali could be the start of a new slog for the troops, as they’ll be forced to engage in difficult, houseto-house fighting in more urban areas. The operation is expected to take weeks, if not months.
Advances have been slower south of the city, with government troops still 35 kilometres away.
The U.S. military estimates Daesh has 3,000-5,000 fighters in Mosul and another 1,500-2,500 in its outer defensive belt. The total includes about 1,000 foreign fighters.