- Title: Iraqi forces battle Islamic State in Mosul's Intisar district
- Date: 31st December 2016
- Summary: INTISAR, MOSUL, IRAQ (DECEMBER 31, 2016) (REUTERS) VARIOUS OF STREET DAMAGED STRUCTURE IN THE NEIGHBOURHOOD HELICOPTER FIRING AT LOCATIONS IN THE NEIGHBOURHOOD / AUDIO OF GUNFIRE SMOKE RISING FROM A TARGETED LOCATION VARIOUS OF SOLDIERS MOVING AROUND NEIGHBOURHOOD SOLDIER WALKING THROUGH A HOLE IN THE WALL SOLDIERS STANDING NEXT TO BODY OF ISLAMIC STATE MILITANTS BODIES OF TWO MILITANTS SOLDIER POINTING TO EXPLOSIVE DEVICE LEFT BY THE MILITANTS EXPLOSIVE DEVICE ON THE GROUND VARIOUS OF CIVILIANS LEAVING THE AREA VARIOUS OF SOLDIERS HANDING OUT BISCUITS TO FLEEING CIVILIANS (SOUNDBITE) (Arabic) MAN FLEEING INTISAR NEIGHBOURHOOD, FAWAZ GHANEM, SAYING: "We've been besieged for two months. Anyone who tries to leave is killed by Daesh (Islamic State). If a person leaves, they take his house, and if they catch him they would kill him. They would take him to prison and kill him." ARMY VEHICLE WITH WORDS, READING (Arabic): "RAPID RESPONSE UNITS" ARMY CARS IN THE STREET VARIOUS OF CIVILIANS WALKING IN COLUMN MEN PUSHING A CART CARRYING A WOMAN VARIOUS OF DOZENS OF PEOPLE GATHERED (SOUNDBITE) (Arabic) IRAQI ARMY SOLDIER, KAMAL JBARA, SAYING: "Following the orders of the head of the federal police unit, we will transport the displaced people from Intisar neighbourhood to the Khazer camp. We will offer them all the help we can." VARIOUS OF PEOPLE LEAVING NEIGHBOURHOOD
- Embargoed: 15th January 2017 16:30
- Keywords: Iraq Islamic State Mosul Intisar district civilians
- Location: INTISAR, EASTERN MOSUL, IRAQ
- City: INTISAR, EASTERN MOSUL, IRAQ
- Country: Iraq
- Topics: Conflicts/War/Peace,Military Conflicts
- Reuters ID: LVA0015F7RGP3
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text: THIS EDIT CONTAINS GRAPHIC IMAGES
Scores of Iraqi civilians left their homes for safety on Saturday (December 31) as government forces fought Islamic State militants in eastern Mosul.
One man said they had been trapped in their homes in the Intisar neigbourhood for many weeks.
"We've been besieged for two months. Anyone who tries to leave is killed by Daesh (Islamic State)," said Fawaz Ghanem.
The civilians will be transported to the Khazer displacement camp to the east of the city.
Iraqi forces launched the second phase of their operation to retake the northern city, on Thursday (December 29), after weeks of deadlock. So far, they have retaken a quarter of Mosul since the offensive began in mid-October.
Gunfire and explosions were heard and smoke hovered in the distance, while Intisar residents walked past army vehicles carrying their belongings to safety.
Mosul is divided by the Tigris river, and Iraqi forces have yet to enter the western side, where narrow alleyways are likely to complicate any advance.
Coalition forces bombed the last remaining bridge connecting east and west Mosul this week to block Islamic State's access across the river.
More than 114,000 civilians have been displaced from Mosul so far, according to the United Nations, but 1.5 million are still thought to be inside. - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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