© AFP 2017/ ALI AL-SAADI
The Iraqi Armed Forces have launched a new operation to capture ISIS-held villages in thewestern Mosul countryside. The Iraqi 9th Division captured Al Rihaniyah village reportedly killing over 30 ISIS terrorist in the beginning of the operation. Then, the 9th Division continuee its advance capturing Al-Gazhluah village next to Al-Rehaniah.
Sources within the Iraqi army confirm that the operations will go on until the whole area is liberated from ISIS.
According to sources from the Iraqi Popular Mobilization Units (PMU, at least 8 suicide belts plus C4 explosives were found by PMU fighters in the industrial area in Al Shurqat thanks to the information received from the Iraqi intelligence. ISIS had wanted to use this explosives to target civilians in Al-Shurqat, according to the same source.
The ISIS-linked news agency Amaq announced that ISIS had launched an attack targeting Iraqi army bases north of Beiji. 5 Iraqi soldiers were killed and some ammo depots were allegedly destroyed.
Amaq also released photos show ISIS fighters attacking Iraqi army points in the Al-Dubs area. ISIS also claimed that soldiers form the Iraq special forces were killed after ISIS had blew up a house they entered in Bab Al-Tub in western Mosul.
The new Iraqi Army operation is still preaparing fro a final push on the western part of Mosul, according to many sources. It’s expect that the Iraqi Army will start advancing again in west Mosul neighborhoods under ISIS control after liberated all ISIS-held villages the western Mosul countryside .
Pics released by ISIS:
They still have not taken that symbolic mosque, right?