- Title: Mosul fighting intensifies, Iraqi army advances on north
- Date: 31st December 2016
- Summary: ARGOOB VILLAGE, NORTH OF MOSUL, IRAQ (DECEMBER 31, 2016) (REUTERS) GENERAL VIEW OF THE VILLAGE / AUDIO OF EXPLOSION SMOKE RISING FROM LOCATION TARGETED BY THE IRAQI ARMY EXPLOSION / SMOKE RISING FROM THE TARGETED LOCATION SMOKE RISING VARIOUS OF EXPLOSION / SMOKE RISING FROM THE SITE OF A THIRD TARGETED LOCATION TOP COMMANDER IN THE MOSUL OFFENSIVE, MAJOR-GENERAL NAJM AL-JUBBOURI, ON A ROOFTOP IN THE AREA (SOUNDBITE) (Arabic) COMMANDER IN THE MOSUL OFFENSIVE, MAJOR-GENERAL NAJM AL-JUBBOURI, SAYING: "Continuing the operations that took place yesterday and the day before yesterday at the northern front, our troops were asked by the joint command to advance onto the Argoob area and to liberate it from Daesh (Islamic State) militants. This area is close to the Hadba and Sukkar neighbourhoods." VARIOUS OF IRAQI ARMY ROCKET LAUNCHERS ON STANDBY MISSILES VARIOUS OF A MISSILE LAUNCHER (SOUNDBITE) (Arabic) COMMANDER IN THE MOSUL OFFENSIVE, MAJOR-GENERAL NAJM AL-JUBBOURI, SAYING: "I pray to God that 2017 will be a good year for the whole world and for Iraqi people specifically, I hope that we will be rid of Daesh militants, and that life will return to Mosul and to all the areas that were controlled by Daesh. I hope that Iraqis will be loving towards each other and harmonious." STREET IN THE AREA ARMY TANK / SOLDIERS SOLDIERS IN THE BACK OF PICK-UP TRUCKS ADVANCING TOWARDS ARGOOB VARIOUS OF CIVILIANS FLEEING RECENTLY RECAPTURED VILLAGES NORTH OF MOSUL
- Embargoed: 15th January 2017 14:12
- Keywords: Islamic State Mosul offensive Iraq Argoob
- Location: ARGOOB VILLAGE, NORTH OF MOSUL, IRAQ
- City: ARGOOB VILLAGE, NORTH OF MOSUL, IRAQ
- Country: Iraq
- Topics: Conflicts/War/Peace,Military Conflicts
- Reuters ID: LVA0015F7QL3B
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text: Iraqi forces approached Mosul from the northern front on Saturday (December 31) after retaking several villages in the area.
The army troops were on Saturday moving on to the village of Argoob, where there was fighting ongoing, Lieutenant Colonel Abbas al-Azawi told Reuters, by phone.
The village was a gateway to Mosul's Habda neighbourhood, he said.
Explosions and heavy plumes of smoke were seen rising from the targeted locations in Argoob.
Further south, an elite Interior Ministry unit continued to push through the Intisar district, where a U.S.-trained army unit had struggle to advance of after entering the southeast district last month.
The second phase of the operation to retake Mosul began on Thursday after several weeks of deadlock.
Conventional U.S. forces deploying more extensively in this phase are now visible very close to the front lines. They are backing Iraq's army, federal police and counter-terrorism service (CTS).
Since the offensive began in mid-October, CTS punched into Mosul from the east and took a quarter of the city, but regular army troops like those in the north have made slower progress advancing from the north and south, slowing the operation. - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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