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Battle for Mosul: Iraqi Forces Retake Main Gov’t Office

Battle for Mosul: Iraqi Forces Retake Main Gov’t Office
folder_openIraq access_time7 years ago
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Local Editor

As the offensive to oust the Wahhabi Daesh [Arabic acronym for "ISIS" / "ISIL"] continue, Iraqi forces had retaken the main government offices in Mosul.

Battle for Mosul: Iraqi Forces Retake Main Gov’t Office

The advance could pave the way for an attack on the heavily-populated old city, where the militants are still entrenched.

Thousands of civilians are streaming out of the city every day.

Mosul is the last stronghold for the Wahhabi group in Iraq. The east of the city was recaptured in January.

The Iraqi forces launched a surprise attack overnight to storm the government buildings.

Although the structures are reported to be largely destroyed, they are a strategic and symbolic win.

The forces had also captured the museum, the central bank's main branch, which was looted by Daesh when they took over the city in 2014, and the nearby courthouse.

The court was used by Daesh to deliver harsh sentences, including stonings, throwing people off rooftops and chopping off hands, according to Reuters news agency.

On Sunday, Iraqi forces began a new push into the western part of Mosul after bad weather slowed them down.

The following day, they captured the al-Hurriya [Freedom] Bridge over the River Tigris.

They had already taken another bridge further south.

The UN estimates that there are up to 800,000 people still living in west Mosul.

The organization's Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs said approximately 42,000 people were displaced last week alone.

"Given the narrow streets and high population density in western Mosul city, civilians are at great risk of being caught in crossfire, and infrastructure is likely to sustain damage. Clean drinking water is also in very short supply," it said in a report released on Sunday.

Source: News Agencies, Edited by website team

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