Iraqi forces retake Christian town of Tel Kaif, northern Mosul

ERBIL, Kurdistan Region (Kurdistan24) – On Thursday Iraqi security forces announced that they fully control the last Islamic State (IS) stronghold in the northern part of the city of Mosul.

Iraqi forces launched an operation in early morning to retake the besieged district of Tel Kaif, an Assyrian-populated town in northern Mosul, Nineveh governorate.  

The commander of the Nineveh operation Abdul Ameer Yaralla declared that after hours of fierce fighting with the IS extremists, Tel Kaif was cleared from extremists.

Iraqi flag is raised upon the town’s buildings, the state-owned television reported.

The Iraqi 9th armored division and army’s third and first brigades launched the operation to recapture Tel Kaif from three frontlines and were able to reach the town by midday, seizing control of the government buildings in the town.

On August 6, 2014, the town of Tel Kaif was invaded by the IS, along with nearby Assyrian towns of Bakhdida, Bartella and Karamlish, displacing thousands of Christians who later sheltered in the Kurdistan Region. 

Iraqi Counter Terrorism forces on Wednesday declared victory over the greater part of eastern Mosul after a three-month military operation against IS extremists.

In a press conference held in the town of Bartella in northern Mosul, the top commander of the Iraqi Counter Terrorism forces Taleb Shighati al-Kenani stated that since the Mosul operation began on Oct. 17, over 3,300 IS extremists have been killed.

IS occupied Mosul in June 2014 and shortly after expanded to other parts of Iraq. Kurdish and Iraqi forces with the air support of the anti-IS coalition has been able to liberate most of Iraq.

Editing by Ava Homa