Iraqi forces advance deeper in Mosul, rescue civilians from IS

MOSUL, Iraq (Kurdistan24) – Iraqi forces on Tuesday said they pushed deeper into Mosul’s Old City where they rescued several civilians in their ongoing battle against the Islamic State (IS).

Lieutenant General Abdulghani al-Assadi, a senior commander of the Counter Terrorism Services (CTS), said the offensive is slowly progressing as they focus on protecting civilian life.

“We’re moving from the Faruq neighborhood toward the Nuri Mosque and Hadba [Minaret] to the bank of the Tigris River,” he said.

“This has taken a lot of planning and a long time because it’s a complex area with a number of difficulties,” Assadi added.

IS militants are continuing to defend their last remaining stronghold in Mosul, using narrow alleyways and destroyed homes to attack US-backed Iraqi forces.

According to Reuters, the intensity of the fight has decreased since Iraqi troops announced they would start the offensive in the Old City.

Another CTS commander, General Maan al-Saadi, said the insurgent group was handed a significant loss as Iraqi forces advanced deeper in the area.

“We have broken through the enemy’s first line of defense after they had been dealt painful blows by our forces,” he noted.

“Our forces on the ground are moving forward,” Saadi continued. “We have now penetrated the Old City.”

The commander mentioned the CTS units were “advancing carefully, taking into account the lives of civilians trapped inside the city.”

Over 100,000 civilians remain stuck in the war-torn, densely-populated area which makes up Mosul’s Old City.

Some of the trapped civilians, who have little to no food, water or medical care, have been used as human shields by the militant group.