Coalition air strike destroys last bridge in Mosul

MOSUL, Iraq (Kurdistan24) – A United States-led coalition air strike destroyed the last functioning bridge over the River Tigris in Mosul, BBC cited the Islamic State’s (IS) Amaq news agency.

The insurgent group uploaded a video apparently showing a collapsed section of the strategic bridge in Mosul, the group’s last stronghold in Iraq.

On Monday, a coalition statement revealed an air strike had “disabled a bridge,” without providing further information.

Before the military offensive to liberate the city from IS, there were five bridges in Mosul.

Two bridges were damaged by air strikes in October and another two a month later in November.

The US-led coalition stated the destruction of the bridges was meant to impede “the freedom of movement of IS militants.”

The extremists were using the bridges to reinforce and resupply their positions in eastern Mosul, according to a BBC report.

Although the collapse of the five bridges in Mosul helped weaken IS’ mobility it also caused hardship for civilians in the city.

Civilians interviewed by the BBC said they were forced to cross the river in small rowing boats.

Moreover, the UN’s International Organization for Migration warned the destruction of the bridges would affect the evacuation of millions of civilians inside Mosul.

Over 115,000 people have been displaced with thousands more expected to flee as the offensive continues.

On Oct. 17, Peshmerga and Iraqi security forces launched the military operation to free Mosul from IS’ control.

According to the Iraqi Ministry of Defense, since the beginning of the operation, 40 neighborhoods in the left coast of Mosul had been freed.

Editing by Ava Homa