IS used suicide bombers in the fierce battle for Mosul
Iraqi troops face fierce clashes and a rising numbers of suicide attacks in Mosul as they try to recapture the city from Islamic State (IS) militants.
IS last held quarter which is known as the Old City, had been rocked by air strikes and artillery salvos, the local commanders are expecting to take back the control soon.
However, in the final phase of the battle they have been facing more suicide attacks, which include several from female bombers, in the battle’s final phase.
In October 2016, the major offensive against IS in Mosul had been launched.
Thousands of Iraqi security forces, along with Kurdish Peshmerga fighters, Sunni Arab tribesmen and Shia militiamen, who have been assisted by US-led coalition warplanes and military advisers, are involved in the operation.
Full “liberation” of Eastern Mosul was announced in January 2017 by the government. However with its narrow, winding streets, the west of the city had presented to be a more difficult challenge.
Lt Gen Abdulghani al-Assadi, a commander of Iraq’s elite Counter-Terrorism Service, was quoted as saying by a news agency “The fighting is becoming harder every day because of the nature of the Old City.”
However he added that the similar conditions which had been beneficial for the IS fighters also helped to shield Iraqi troops from snipers.
Another CTS commander, Lt Gen Sami al-Aridhi, has said that “The enemy has been using suicide bombers, especially women, for the past three days in some of the neighbourhoods. Before that, they were using snipers and bombs more.”
Some of the suicide bombers have been reported to be teenage girls.
According to reports there had been two female suicide attacks on the troops on Monday, 3rd July 2017, furthermore seven other women who were bearing explosives had attempted to approach troops but had been intercepted.
Iraqi commanders have said that to prevent such attacks, they were now ordering women fleeing from the Old City to remove veils before approaching soldiers. While men have been told to remove their shirts.
Brigadier General Yahya Rasool told state TV that “victory is very near”, while another commander has estimated that “the battle will end in five days to a week”.
Watch your favorite programs, documentaries, informative packages and latest NEWS(English and Urdu).
Watch Humsub tv Live Streaming here: Humsub.tv
Read Latest Articles and News here: humsub