The previous month witnessed several failed attempts by the Iraqi Armed Forces to advance on the infamous Nouri Mosque in the Old Mosul – the site where ISIS’s self-proclaimed caliphate was declared. ISIS’s fierce attempts to defend this area were overcome few days ago and pictures of the Iraqi flag in a mere few meters away from the mosque emerged.
This advance was made possible after Iraqi forces flanked the Old Mosul from its western side capturing several districts.
Iraqi Counterterrorism units launched a sensitive assault in the Al-Tanak district in western Mosul aiming to capture it. Source inside Mosul confirmed the large care about civilian lives throughout the operation.
The Iraqi Federal Police said that it had shelled an ISIS HQ inside the Old Mosul after receiving coordinates from civilians inside.
IMPORTANT#Iraq federal police destroyed #ISIS HQ command & control in #Mosul Old district after getting information from civilians & drones pic.twitter.com/dec0iHLO4Y
— Iraqi Day ?? (@iraqi_day) April 14, 2017
From its side, ISIS downed a US-led coalition reconnaissance drone in the skies of the Anah village and managed to snipe 6 SWAT soldiers during the assault on SWAT positions in Bab Al-Tub.
The Iraqi Popular Mobilization Units have announced that they had removed IEDs and mines from the Makhoul Mountain area in preparation for future advances there.
The PMU also managed to evacuate 1,500 families from the ISIS-held territory.
Maybe some hardcore islamists will fill the mosque with explosives and blow the whole district sky high. A fitting end.