Iraqi forces open new front in fight for Mosul

Military attempts to bring gruelling seven-month struggle for city to an end

ERBIL, IRAQ— Iraqi forces opened a new front Thursday in their offensive to retake Mosul, advancing from the northwest in a bid to add momentum to the gruelling seven-monthlong battle for the city.

Troops from the army’s 9th Division and elite forces from the Interior Ministry spearheaded the earlymorning attack, according to the Iraqi military.

Daesh militants are still holding on in a few neighbourhoods of western Mosul after losing control of the east. But the Iraqi offensive, which is backed by airstrikes and military support from a U.S.-led coalition, had slowed in recent weeks. Interior Ministry forces have ground to a halt on the southern edge of Mosul’s Old City, whose narrow streets and winding alleys are inaccessible to armoured vehicles.

Given that challenging geography, Iraqi commanders have said they now plan to lay siege to the Old City by attacking from the northwest. But the district remains home to hundreds of thousands of civilians, raising concerns for their welfare as the battle closes in and food and drinking water become increasingly scarce.

“The Old City will be isolated and the last target,” said Lt. Gen. Sami al-Aridhi, a counterterrorism forces commander. He said authorities are considering dropping humanitarian aid to families trapped in areas held by Daesh, also known as ISIS or ISIL.

Nearly half a million people have been displaced since the battle for Mosul began in October, according to the United Nations. Some have fled to relatives in the city’s east, which is now under the control of Iraqi security forces.

After a grinding fight, Iraqi commanders are eager to end the battle before the holy month of Ramadan, which will begin late this month.

But the presence of civilians makes it harder to push forward at a steady pace.

Iraqi officers say that since a strike on a building in Mosul’s al-Jadida neighbourhood in March that allegedly killed more than 100 civilians, they have been under orders to request U.S.-led coalition airstrikes only when absolutely necessary. The U.S. is investigating the incident.

Still, the ground troops rely heavily on support from the air, waiting for hazy weather to clear before they launched their attack on Thursday.

“The Old City will be isolated and the last target.” LT. GEN. SAMI AL-ARIDHI IRAQI COUNTERTERRORISM FORCES COMMANDER